The two sides held talks in Moscow ahead of the upcoming bilateral summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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| Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov welcomes Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, left, before a meeting, in Moscow, Russia. © Sputnik |
Strategic partnership with India is Russia’s top foreign policy priority, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told his counterpart, S. Jaishankar, as the two countries seek to expand economic and strategic ties.
They met in the Russian capital, on Monday, in advance of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s planned trip to New Delhi for a bilateral summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“We are building transport and logistics chains that are not subject to external illegal influence. We are enhancing the items that constitute our mutual trade, and we build up the mechanisms for making sure that we are not hindered by illegitimate impact imposed by third parties,” Lavrov said.
Jaishankar noted that a number of bilateral agreements, initiatives, and projects are under discussion in various fields, which will “certainly add more substance and texture” to the existing partnership between Moscow and New Delhi. India-Russia ties have long been “a factor of stability in international relations” and its growth and evolution is “not only in our mutual interest but also in that of the world,” he asserted.
Putin’s visit comes amid Western pressure over the close ties between Moscow and New Delhi. The US imposed a 50% tariff on India, including a punitive 25% levy for Russian oil imports, accusing India of “funding” the Ukraine conflict through oil purchases.
India has dismissed Western criticism over Russian oil imports. New Delhi maintains its energy policy is driven by “national interest,” though it is also expanding trade with the US. Recently, it announced a one-year deal with the US to buy LPG, estimated to account for nearly 10% of its annual purchases.
Moscow will aim to address the growing trade imbalance with India during Putin’s trip. India’s exports to Russia are worth $5 billion, while imports from Russia amount to $64 billion. The countries are aiming to increase bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030.
Other key issues, including logistics and cross-border payments, are also likely to figure in the talks. India’s commerce secretary, Rajesh Agrawal, recently held high-level meetings in Moscow to review progress on the proposed India–Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Free Trade Agreement.
The two nations have also indicated plans for deeper military cooperation, focusing on technology transfers for aviation, naval, and missile platforms.
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🤝 Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov greets Foreign Minister of India Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar at the Russian MFA Reception House in Moscow ahead of talks earlier today
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