National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval arrived in Russia on Wednesday for a pre-scheduled annual meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu. Sources indicate that Doval is also slated to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit.
The visit, initially planned for two weeks ago, is being seen as a key preparatory engagement ahead of the annual India-Russia leaders' summit. India is set to host this summit later this year, with President Putin expected to travel to New Delhi for talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A source clarified that Doval's trip is not a direct response to recent US pressure, including new tariffs or threats of penalties related to India's purchase of Russian crude oil.
In a related development, Russian Deputy Defence Minister Colonel General Alexander Fomin met with India's Ambassador to Russia, Vinay Kumar, in Moscow. The Russian Ministry of Defence released a statement confirming the enduring strength of defense ties between the two nations. The ministry noted that "the two sides confirmed their focus on further strengthening specialised cooperation within the framework of a particularly privileged strategic partnership" and 'discussed key issues of bilateral defence cooperation.'
During his meetings, Doval is expected to address several critical issues, including future crude oil sourcing, the delivery of pending defense supplies, and the upgrade of India’s Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jets. Russia has already provided assurances that the remaining two S-400 missile defense systems will be delivered by 2026.
This marks Doval's first visit to Moscow since Operation Sindoor. However, he had previously met with Aleksandr Venediktov, Deputy Secretary of Russia’s Security Council and Shoigu’s deputy, during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s NSA-level meeting in Beijing in June.
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