Jaishankar Begins Moscow Visit Amid Strained India-US Ties Over Russian Oil

The minister of external affairs, S Jaishanker, left for Moscow on Tuesday for a three-day trip aimed at enhancing the "time-tested" India-Russian alliance.

The visit takes places amidst escalating tensions between India and the US after President Donald Trump's decision to impose a 50 per cent tariff on Indian imports, including a 25 per cent penalty for buying Russian crude oil. This move has strained relations between the two countries, with India describing the tariffs as 'unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable'.

According to PTI, Jaishankar will co-chair the 26th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC), which is scheduled for Wednesday, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), which also announced his trip.

The IRIGC-TEC, which is anticipated to prepare the way for President Vladimir Putin's visit to India later this year, will be co-chaired by the external affairs minister and Denis Manturov, Russia's first deputy prime minister.

It is also anticipated that Jaishankar and his Russian colleague Sergey Lavrov would talk about the most recent efforts by the Trump administration to promote peace in Ukraine.

During the visit, the external affairs minister will review the bilateral agenda and share perspectives on regional and global issues with the Russian foreign minister, the MEA said in a brief statement.

"The visit aims to further strengthen the longstanding and time-tested India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic partnership," it added.

It is expected that the two sides will also deliberate on India-Russia energy ties during Jaishankar's trip to Moscow.

PTI reported that in retaliation for New Delhi's ongoing purchases of Russian oil, US President Trump last month signed an executive order imposing an additional 25 per cent duty on Indian imports.

India has been defending its purchase of Russian crude oil by arguing that market forces and national interest dictate its energy procurement.

After Western nations sanctioned Moscow and boycotted its supply due to its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, India resorted to buying Russian oil at a bargain.

As a result, Russia's share of India's total oil imports grew from 1.7 per cent in 2019–20 to 35.1 per cent in 2024–25, making it the country's largest oil supplier.

During Jaishankar's visit to Moscow, the two sides are also likely to deliberate on the Ukraine conflict.

India has continuously advocated for a diplomatic and dialogue-based resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

When PM Modi visited Moscow in July of last year, he informed Putin that peace initiatives cannot be successful in the face of bombs and bullets and that a solution to the Ukraine war cannot be found on the battlefield.

During his visit to Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, the following month, Modi told President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Russia and Ukraine should immediately get down to ending the conflict.