Jaishankar Engages with Putin on Strategic Russia-India Partnership

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, strengthening the India-Russia strategic partnership. During his three-day visit, Jaishankar co-chaired the 26th India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, along with Economic, Scientific, Technological, and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC), and addressed the India-Russia Business Forum.

In talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Jaishankar reviewed the bilateral agenda, addressing regional and global challenges. India and Russia maintain a longstanding friendship, with Jaishankar pointing out inconsistencies in tariffs due to India's Russian oil imports, noting that China and the EU surpass India in purchasing Russian oil and LNG, respectively.

Amid increased US tariffs on Indian goods, Jaishankar emphasized India's rising oil imports from the US while maintaining energy collaboration with Russia. He stressed a need to balance trade by increasing Indian exports to Russia in agriculture, pharma, and textiles. Discussions with Lavrov also covered developments in Ukraine and West Asia, reiterating India's commitment to diplomatic conflict resolution.