New Delhi: Exterior Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday. The assembly came about simply hours after Dr Jaishankar held in depth discussions along with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. The talks primarily centred on strengthening commerce relations between the 2 nations.
Exterior Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar calls on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
(Supply: Officers) pic.twitter.com/7Srx2mCXSP
— ANI (@ANI) August 21, 2025
Within the joint press briefing with Russian FM Lavrov, EAM Jaishankar stated, “India and Russia have been the steadiest of the main relationships on the earth after the Second World Conflict…”
Jaishankar, in a submit on X, stated, “Happy to satisfy FM Sergey Lavrov right now in Moscow. Had an in depth dialogue on our bilateral ties, together with commerce, funding, vitality, fertilizers, well being, skilling & mobility, protection, and people-to-people exchanges. We exchanged views on Ukraine, Europe, Iran, West Asia, Afghanistan and the Indian sub-continent. Additionally spoke about our cooperation in UN, G20, SCO and BRICS. Our assembly helped put together the outcomes and choices for the Annual Summit later this 12 months.”
The ministers additionally exchanged views on world and regional points, together with Ukraine, Europe, Iran, West Asia, Afghanistan, and the Indian subcontinent. They mentioned cooperation in multilateral boards such because the UN, G20, SCO, and BRICS, serving to set the stage for choices and outcomes on the Annual Summit later this 12 months.
Within the backdrop of those discussions, amid the US determination to impose 25 per cent extra tariffs on Indian items over Russian oil purchases, Exterior Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar clarified on Friday that China, not India, is the most important purchaser of Russian oil, whereas the EU leads in LNG imports, calling the logic of singling out India for secondary tariffs “perplexing.”
Answering queries throughout a joint press briefing with Russian International Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, Jaishankar stated India additionally buys oil from the US, and that quantity has elevated.
“We’re not the most important purchasers of Russian oil, that’s China. We’re not the most important purchasers of LNG, that’s the European Union. We’re not the nation which has the most important commerce surge with Russia after 2022; I believe there are some nations to the South. We’re a rustic the place the Individuals have stated for the previous few years that we must always do the whole lot to stabilise the world vitality market, together with shopping for oil from Russia. By the way, we additionally purchase oil from the US, and that quantity has elevated. So actually, we’re very perplexed on the logic of the argument that you just (the media) had referred to…” Jaishankar stated, answering a question.
US President Donald Trump introduced 25 per cent tariffs on Indian items in July, whilst there have been hopes of an interim India-US commerce deal that might have in any other case helped keep away from elevated tariffs. A couple of days later, he imposed one other 25 per cent tariff, taking the entire to 50 per cent, citing India’s continued imports of Russian oil.
Jaishankar stated sustaining vitality cooperation with Russia by means of commerce and investments can be essential.
He harassed the necessity to handle commerce imbalance. “We reaffirmed our shared ambition to increase bilateral commerce in a balanced and sustainable method, together with by growing India’s exports to Russia.
This requires swiftly addressing non-tariff limitations and regulatory impediments, and enhancing India’s exports to Russia in sectors like agriculture, pharma, and textiles will definitely assist right the imbalance,” he stated.
Jaishankar and Lavrov mentioned developments in Ukraine and West Asia, with the Exterior Affairs Minister laying thrust on dialogue and diplomacy in resolving conflicts.
“On regional points, we mentioned developments in Ukraine, West Asia, the Center East and Afghanistan. India’s method continues to stress dialogue and diplomacy as important to resolving variations.”
Jaishankar stated the defence and navy cooperation is powerful and Russia helps ‘Make in India’ objectives.
“Our defence and navy technical cooperation additionally stays sturdy. Russia helps India’s ‘Make in India’ objectives, together with joint manufacturing and expertise switch.”
Exterior Affairs Minister stated he took up the difficulty of Indians serving within the Russian Military.
“Whereas many have been launched, there are nonetheless some pending instances, with some lacking individuals. We hope that the Russian aspect will expeditiously resolve this,” he stated.
Jaishankar is on a three-day go to to Russia throughout which he co-chaired the twenty sixth Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Fee on Commerce, Financial, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) and addressed the India-Russia Enterprise Discussion board assembly in Moscow.
(With inputs from ANI)