Overview

• The external affairs minister arrived on August 19 for meetings through August 21, including co-chairing the 26th IRIGC-TEC on August 20 and separate talks with Sergey Lavrov.
• The MEA said the visit seeks to strengthen the 'special and privileged' partnership and includes an address to the India–Russia Business Forum.
• The travel follows NSA Ajit Doval’s recent Moscow discussions with Vladimir Putin and other senior officials, a sequence viewed as preparation for a forthcoming leaders’ summit and a potential Putin visit to India.
• Energy is central to the agenda as India, now a top buyer of Russian crude at about 42% of its oil imports, is reported to be seeking lower prices.
• Ties with Washington have frayed after President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50% with an additional 25% penalty linked to Russian oil, which New Delhi called 'unjustified and unreasonable', and government sources say a planned August 25 round of U.S.–India trade talks will not go ahead.