Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar has initiated a three-day visit to Moscow, with the primary goal of fortifying the strategic partnership between India and Russia. The visit coincides with the imposition of a 50% tariff by the U.S. on Indian exports, which includes a 25% penalty related to the import of crude oil from Russia. The Ministry of External Affairs stated that the Foreign Minister will co-chair the 26th session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological, and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov. The session is expected to help shape the preparations for President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India later in the year.
Discussions between Jaishankar and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are expected to include the latest developments in the Trump administration’s efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine. A brief statement from the Ministry indicated that the visit will involve a review of the bilateral agenda and an exchange of views on regional and global matters. The core objective of the visit is to reinforce the special strategic partnership that has endured the test of time between India and Russia.
The Moscow visit is also anticipated to cover India-Russia energy relations. The U.S. has issued an executive order imposing a 25% additional tariff on Indian goods as a consequence of India’s continued purchase of Russian oil. India has consistently defended its crude oil purchases from Russia, asserting that its energy decisions are driven by national interests and market dynamics.
India began procuring Russian oil at discounted rates after Western nations imposed sanctions on Moscow and disrupted supplies following the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. As a result, Russia’s share in India’s total oil imports dramatically increased, from 1.7% in 2019-20 to 35.1% in 2024-25, making Russia the primary oil supplier to India.
In July of the previous year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Moscow and informed Putin that a solution to the Ukraine conflict could not be found on the battlefield and that peace efforts would be unsuccessful amid the ongoing conflict. Subsequently, Modi visited Kyiv, where he urged President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to engage in immediate dialogue with Russia to end the war.