External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called on Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday. The visit on expected lines comes amid the stringent tariff imposed by the United States on India over buying crude oil from Russia.
US President Donald Trump while imposing 50 per cent tariff on New Delhi had stated that India by purchasing Russian crude oil was in a way helping Russian funding in its war with Ukraine.
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State-run Indian refiners on the other hand, unperturbed, continue to deal with Russia to buy crude oil.
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Jaishankar who is on a three-day visit to Moscow had earlier in the day stated that India-Russia ties are “the steadiest of the major relationships in the world after the Second World War.”
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An elated Jaishankar later posted on X after the meeting, “Honored to call on President Putin at the Kremlin today. Conveyed the warm greetings of President Droupadi Murmu & Prime Minister @narendramodi. Apprised him of my discussions with First DPM Denis Manturov & FM Sergey Lavrov. The preparations for the Annual Leaders Summit are well underway. Appreciate his sharing perspectives on the global situation and recent developments on Ukraine.”
Putin recently met with Trump to look for a solution to the protracted Ukraine war and could even hold a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to bring an end to the ongoing dispute.
On India’s part, better ties with Moscow are imperative amid Washington’s proximity to Pakistan after Operation Sindoor launched by India as a retaliation to the Pahalgam mayhem.
With Pakistan Field Marshal Asim Munir visiting Washington twice and Trump’s repeated demands that he was the one who ended the India-Pakistan skirmish, Jaishankar’s meeting with Putin holds utmost relevance.
Putin also spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the outcome of his meeting with Trump at Alaska.
Modi had shared a post following his conversation with Putin expressing satisfaction that India-Russia relations are on the right track.
“Thank my friend, President Putin, for his phone call and for sharing insights on his recent meeting with President Trump in Alaska. India has consistently called for a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict and supports all efforts in this regard. I look forward to our continued exchanges in the days to come,” Modi posted on X.