S Jaishankar met Vladimir Putin in Moscow during his two-day visit, as Russia-Ukraine talks gain momentum. The meeting occurs amid growing US criticism of India’s continued oil trade with Russia.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday during his two-day visit to Moscow, at a time when renewed peace efforts are underway in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the US is pressuring India over Russian oil imports. Responding to Washington's decision to impose an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods, Jaishankar said it was unfair to single out India when China is the largest buyer of Russian oil and the European Union is the biggest purchaser of Russian LNG. He added that India has even increased its oil imports from the US in recent years, making the American argument 'perplexing'. Speaking at a joint press briefing with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Jaishankar underlined that India’s energy trade choices are aimed at stability, not politics.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who is on a two-day visit to Russia, strongly criticised the United States for imposing steep tariffs on Indian goods over New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil. Speaking at a joint press conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, he said India was being unfairly singled out, pointing out that China, the European Union, and other countries are much larger buyers of Russian oil and gas. He added that India has even increased its oil imports from the US in recent years and said he was perplexed at the logic behind Washington’s argument. Jaishankar stressed that India’s energy trade decisions are aimed at stabilising the global market and should not be misrepresented.
During his meetings in Moscow, Jaishankar underlined the importance of strengthening India-Russia political and economic ties. He said the two countries were preparing for their annual summit at the end of the year and had already made progress in several areas of cooperation. The Indian minister co-chaired the 26th session of the Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological, and Cultural Cooperation, which he described as a key mechanism for boosting bilateral ties. However, he raised concerns about the growing trade imbalance, noting that while trade between the two nations had jumped from USD 13 billion in 2021 to USD 68 billion in 2024-25, India’s deficit had also ballooned to nearly USD 59 billion, making it urgent to find corrective measures.
Russian leaders welcomed Jaishankar’s visit, with Lavrov highlighting the growing importance of multipolar organisations like BRICS, SCO, and G20 in shaping global affairs. Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov also revealed that India-Russia trade had surged by 700 percent in the past five years, placing India among Moscow’s top three trading partners. Jaishankar, meanwhile, laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow, paying tribute to those who died during World War II. He described his engagements as “extremely productive,” saying both sides had identified practical solutions across trade, energy, agriculture, education, and cultural exchanges despite the complex geopolitical situation.
