New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar is scheduled to visit Russia from August 19 to 21, 2025, in what is being described as a significant diplomatic engagement aimed at consolidating India-Russia relations at a time of shifting global dynamics and heightened geopolitical tensions.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Dr Jaishankar’s visit comes at the invitation of First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Denis Manturov. The centrepiece of the trip will be his role as co-chair at the 26th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC), scheduled to take place on August 20.
This key meeting will review cooperation across multiple sectors, including trade, energy, defence, science and technology, cultural exchange, and people-to-people ties, with an emphasis on enhancing collaborative frameworks to reflect contemporary needs.
During his Moscow visit, Dr Jaishankar will also hold substantive bilateral talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, focusing on the entire spectrum of India-Russia relations. Both sides are expected to take stock of the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership, which has long formed the cornerstone of New Delhi-Moscow ties.
The discussions will also touch upon pressing regional and global issues, including the Ukraine conflict, the evolving Indo-Pacific landscape, energy security concerns, and new forms of multilateral cooperation.
The meeting holds particular weight as it comes just a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during which the Russian leader briefed the Indian Prime Minister on his discussions with US President Donald Trump during their Alaska summit on Ukraine.
India has reiterated its long-held stance advocating peace, dialogue, and reconciliation as the preferred pathway to resolving the Ukraine conflict, making Jaishankar’s Moscow agenda both timely and strategically important.
In addition to his official meetings, the Indian External Affairs Minister will address the India-Russia Business Forum in Moscow, where he is expected to underline new synergies between the two economies and explore pathways to achieve more sustainable and diversified economic cooperation. Trade and energy will figure prominently, especially at a time when India’s procurement of crude oil from Russia has become a flashpoint in its bilateral dynamics with Washington.
Despite Western criticism, India has consistently maintained that its energy purchases are guided by national interest and the need to secure affordable and reliable supply chains. This balancing act has drawn sharper scrutiny, as reflected in Washington’s recent moves.
The fallout has already manifested in economic terms, with President Trump imposing an additional 25 percent tariff on Indian goods—raising the cumulative levy to 50 percent—and introducing penalties for India’s continued import of discounted Russian crude.
Moreover, government sources indicated that the sixth round of India-US bilateral trade negotiations, slated for August 25, will now not take place, as the American delegation has withdrawn following the tariff escalation. This has created fresh friction in India-US trade relations, reinforcing the strategic weight of India’s renewed engagement with Moscow.
Jaishankar’s visit is thus being closely watched not only as a marker of India’s enduring strategic autonomy but also as a substantive step toward redefining the contours of economic and political cooperation with Russia in the face of Western pressure.
Analysts note that the IRIGC-TEC has traditionally served as a vital platform for addressing practical issues in bilateral exchanges—from defence cooperation and nuclear energy projects to civil aviation and cultural ties. The 26th edition is likely to advance discussions on defence acquisition programs, jointly developed industrial projects, and mechanisms to bypass sanctions-related barriers to trade and finance.
Energy cooperation, particularly India’s secure procurement of Russian hydrocarbons and prospects for deepening collaboration in nuclear and renewable energy, is expected to feature prominently on the agenda.
At a broader level, this visit underlines India’s diplomatic balancing act: ensuring close working ties with Russia, a traditional and trusted partner, while managing rising tensions with Washington under Trump’s protectionist and unilateralist policies.
The “time-tested” India-Russia relationship, founded on decades of defence cooperation, mutual support in international forums, and a shared emphasis on multipolarity, continues to remain a crucial pillar of Indian foreign policy.
By engaging with Moscow at this juncture, New Delhi signals its commitment to strengthening a partnership that remains critical not just for bilateral goals but also for navigating a complex international environment defined by conflicts, sanctions regimes, and competing alliances.
