Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval is set to meet with senior Russian officials in Moscow on Wednesday (6 August), in a bid to discuss defence and security cooperation, oil sanctions, and a forthcoming Modi-Putin summit, according to a report by The Hindu.
Doval's visit to Russia comes amid US President Donald Trump's renewed threats to raise tariffs on Indian products in response to New Delhi's Russian oil purchases. Indian imports already face a 25% tariff in the US.
Ahead of Ajit's meeting in Russia, Russia's news agency TASS reported, "The current escalation of the geopolitical situation will also be discussed. Apart from that, the topics will include such pressing matters as supplies of Russian oil [to India]."
Doval is expected to discuss India's stance on US threats and tariffs, and to prepare for Russian President Vladimir Putin's upcoming visit to India later this year.
Moreover, subject matters encompassing defence cooperation, including the delivery of the remaining S-400 missile systems, which played an important role during the recent Indo-Pak conflict that lasted for four days before a temporary ceasefire brokered by Trump, are also going to be discussed.
The two sides may also discuss the latest bid for talks between Russia and Ukraine, after the Kremlin announced on Tuesday (5 August) that US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will be in Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Announcing the upcoming visit of Witkoff on Tuesday, Putin's presidential aide Dmitry Peshkov said that Putin was ready to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after expert-level talks, but gave no timeline for the meeting.
This is Doval's first visit to Moscow since its latest and most serious military confrontation with Pakistan in decades.
Earlier, he attended the SCO NSA meeting in Beijing in June and met with Mr. Shoigu's deputy, Russia's Security Council Deputy Secretary Aleksandr Venediktov, there.
Additionally, Russia's recent move to recognise the Taliban regime in Afghanistan is also expected to come up.
When asked about Mr. Trump's latest threats against India, Mr. Peshkov said that Russia believes "sovereign countries must have, and do have, the right to choose their trade partners, the partners in trade and economic cooperation, on their own, and independently determine those modes of trade and economic cooperation that suit the interests of a country in question."
Later this month, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will also visit Moscow for talks regarding Putin's upcoming visit, which had been delayed for several years due to the Ukraine conflict which has been going on for more than three years now. Prime Minister Modi revived the annual summit with his visit to Moscow last July, following a three-year hiatus.
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