India, Russia Prepare for Putin's India Visit with Jaishankar's Moscow Trip
Image Source: Internet
New Delhi: India and Russia are gearing up for Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to India next month, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar set to visit Moscow next week. Jaishankar will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting and hold bilateral talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on November 17. The visit is aimed at preparing for Putin's India trip, scheduled for December 4-5, when he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the annual India-Russia Summit. This will be Putin's first visit to India since the Ukraine invasion began in 2022. Jaishankar's trip comes at a time when India is under pressure from the US to reduce Russian energy and military imports. Despite this, Russia remains one of India's top energy suppliers. The meeting between Jaishankar and Lavrov will also pave the way for several key deals expected during Putin's visit. The SCO meeting in Moscow will see Russia take over the bloc's presidency from China. India's Foreign Minister will lead the country's delegation, with Pakistan's Ishaq Dar also attending. However, a bilateral meeting between Jaishankar and Dar is unlikely. Jaishankar's visit is his second to Russia since August, and it is not yet clear whether India will formally announce the visit or Putin's planned trip to India. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had earlier planned to visit New Delhi in early November but cancelled the trip last month.
