External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is scheduled to embark on a five-day visit to Russia, commencing on Monday, aimed at engaging in discussions on various bilateral and global matters. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced the visit on Sunday, stating that Jaishankar will journey to both Moscow and St. Petersburg as part of the ongoing high-level exchanges between the two nations. The MEA emphasized the enduring and resilient nature of the India-Russia partnership, characterized by the spirit of the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.
During his visit, Jaishankar is set to meet Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov to deliberate on matters related to economic engagement. Additionally, the External Affairs Minister will hold discussions with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, covering a range of topics, including bilateral, multilateral, and international issues. The MEA highlighted the strong people-to-people and cultural ties between the two countries, incorporating engagements in both Moscow and St. Petersburg into Jaishankar’s program.
The visit assumes significance as it comes amidst indications that the annual India-Russia leaders’ summit will not occur this year. This summit, a crucial component of the strategic partnership, involves high-level institutional dialogue between the Prime Minister of India and the President of Russia. While ties between India and Russia have remained robust despite Moscow’s actions in Ukraine, Jaishankar’s visit is anticipated to address various facets of the bilateral relationship, encompassing trade, energy, defense, and connectivity. Notably, India’s increased import of Russian crude oil has attracted attention, even as India refrains from explicitly condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, emphasizing the need for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis.
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