India and Russia are committed to strengthening their "Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership" through enhanced trade, economic cooperation, and collaboration on regional and global issues. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's recent visit to Moscow underscores this commitment, with a focus on "doing more and doing differently" to navigate complex geopolitical challenges.
During his three-day official visit, Jaishankar co-chaired the 26th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC). This session served as a platform to explore avenues for bolstering trade and investment ties, with Jaishankar addressing the India-Russia Business Forum to emphasize the importance of deeper economic engagement amidst global uncertainty.
Jaishankar's "doing more and doing differently" mantra reflects a proactive approach to diversifying and expanding the India-Russia cooperation agenda. This includes diversifying the bilateral trade basket, promoting joint ventures, and identifying new areas of collaboration. During a meeting with prominent Russian scholars and think tank representatives, Jaishankar discussed India-Russia relations, contemporary world geopolitics, and India's viewpoint.
In his address at the India-Russia Business Forum, Jaishankar highlighted the need for trade diversification, mutual investment, skilled mobility, and strategic collaboration to strengthen the India-Russia partnership. He also flagged the challenges posed by tariff and non-tariff trade barriers and called for an early conclusion of a Free Trade Agreement between India and the countries of the Eurasian region.
The discussions also focused on removing bottlenecks in logistics, promoting connectivity through initiatives like the International North-South Transport Corridor, the Northern Sea Route, and the Chennai-Vladivostok Corridor, and ensuring smooth payment mechanisms.
Jaishankar's visit to Moscow follows National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval's recent trip, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other high-ranking officials. These high-level exchanges demonstrate the consistent diplomatic momentum between New Delhi and Moscow. Moreover, Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit India following an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Despite increasing strains in New Delhi's ties with Washington over its procurement of crude oil from Russia and trade-related anxieties, India remains committed to its long-standing strategic partnership with Russia. Jaishankar's emphasis on a creative and innovative approach reflects the need to adapt to the evolving geopolitical landscape and maximize the potential of the India-Russia relationship.
