What happened?
External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar visited Russia from August 19 to 21, 2025, as announced by the Ministry of External Affairs. During his visit, he will meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and co-chair the 26th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) on August 20. Dr. Jaishankar will also address the India-Russia Business Forum in Moscow, focusing on enhancing bilateral trade and cooperation.
Why it matters to India
The visit aims to strengthen India’s longstanding and time-tested Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership with Russia. Discussions with FM Lavrov will cover the bilateral agenda and perspectives on regional and global developments. The visit comes amid growing strain in India-US ties over New Delhi’s continued crude oil imports from Russia and recent US trade measures, including additional tariffs on Indian goods. By engaging with Russia, India seeks to consolidate strategic and economic cooperation while navigating complex international trade and geopolitical dynamics.