The second meeting of the Russian-Indian Working Group on Roads and Intelligent Transport Systems was held in Moscow, Russia on Wednesday, 24 September, 2024. The meeting focused on exchanging and sharing information to improve technologies and materials in road and bridge construction and promote joint research in these fields, informed Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, PIB.

Anurag Jain, Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways of the Republic of India and Dmitry Zverev, State Secretary and Deputy Minister of Road Transport of the Russian Federation jointly chaired the meeting.

During the meeting, discussion on opportunities to develop mutual investments in highways and transport infrastructure related programs/projects, were also focused upon. The Ministry noted that the both sides proposed various ideas, whereby the Russian party proposed  an implementation of “Barrier-free toll collection system based on satellite navigation technology” in the territory of the Republic of India. The tech is developed on the basis of the latest Russian and Indian technologies in the field of satellite navigation, telecommunications and information technologies, states the Ministry. Whereas, Indian side proposed that “NHAI is considering multiparty interoperable system for “Barrier-free Toll collection system based on satellite navigation technology.” India would be issuing bids in Transparent manner in which all leading global players are encouraged to participate including Russian companies.”

According to the Ministry, both parties have agreed to the proposals including unmanned and highly automated transport. Additionally, a consideration has also been made whereby, the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways of India are to exchange “experience on practical solutions to organize freight transportation on public roads using highly automated vehicles, including those moving in autonomous mode.”