Ajit Doval, India's National Security Adviser, visited Moscow on August 7, 2025, for high-level discussions with top Russian officials, including the Secretary of Russia’s Security Council, Sergey Shoigu, and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin.

These meetings underpin the ongoing efforts by both nations to deepen their "special and privileged strategic partnership," focusing on strengthening cooperation in security, defence, and multilateral forums, as well as preparing for President Putin’s forthcoming visit to India.

During talks with Sergey Shoigu, Doval discussed the importance of joint efforts to bolster the bilateral relationship, emphasising the "unique, long, and highly valued" bond between India and Russia. Both leaders referenced the enduring nature of their strategic partnership, which is seen as particularly crucial amid global uncertainties and substantial geopolitical shifts.


Shoigu reiterated Moscow's commitment to active cooperation with India to help establish a more equitable and sustainable world order, grounded in mutual respect, trust, and consideration of each other's national interests.

A significant item on the agenda was finalising details for President Putin's upcoming visit to India for the annual bilateral summit, anticipated by the end of 2025. Ajit Doval described this planned visit as a "watershed point" in bilateral ties, highlighting that these summits regularly define and elevate the depth of the relationship. He stated that dates were "almost finalised," underlining the enthusiasm in New Delhi for Putin’s arrival.

Doval also thanked the Russian government and President Putin for supporting India’s counter-terrorism efforts, explicitly referencing Russia’s condemnation of the recent Pahalgam terror attack in India. 

Discussions included mutual defence cooperation, where Russian-origin military hardware continues to be central to Indian security, and evolving economic ties.

This visit unfolds amid renewed pressure from the United States, where President Trump had doubled tariffs on Indian goods as a response to India’s ongoing purchases of Russian oil, raising the stakes for India-Russia engagement in energy, trade, and defence sectors. Both sides, however, affirmed that their close strategic cooperation remains "time-tested" and resilient regardless of external pressures.

Doval’s characterisation of India-Russia ties as "unique and enduring" reflects longstanding cooperation that includes regular high-level political dialogue, robust defence technology partnerships, and coordinated approaches in multilateral forums tackling international security and rule of law.

The meetings in Moscow signal that both countries are set to advance their relationship to the next level, consolidating efforts ahead of upcoming summits and reinforcing their commitment to joint responses in a rapidly changing global order.

Agencies