India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar paid a crucial visit to Moscow, meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin as preparations intensify for the upcoming Annual India–Russia Summit.

During this high-level engagement, Jaishankar delivered Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s greetings and updated President Putin on the bilateral summit's arrangements, highlighting the robust diplomatic momentum underpinning the special and privileged partnership between the two countries.​

Both parties are understood to be finalising a suite of agreements and projects, hoping to add substance to the 23rd Summit, with Putin’s visit to New Delhi expected in early December.

Deliberations are covering a wide spectrum: strategic defence ties, economic diversification, and deepening maritime cooperation. The summit will serve as a platform to review bilateral progress and set future objectives amid dynamic geopolitical headwinds.​

While in Moscow for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government Meeting, Jaishankar presented an unambiguous message: India will never tolerate terrorism in any form. He urged the SCO to adhere to its founding principles—combatting terrorism, separatism, and extremism—asserting that these threats remain acute and require collective, zero-tolerance responses.​​

Jaishankar also pressed for organisational reform within the SCO, advocating greater modernisation, agility, and the adoption of English as an official language—a move to enable more transparency and inclusivity in decision-making.

Addressing economic concerns, he called attention to global instability, disrupted supply chains, and the necessity to diversify and de-risk economic partnerships. India is actively pursuing wider free trade architecture with SCO partners to ensure fair and substantial growth in the region.​​

The recent exchange comes amidst evolving international alignments. PM Modi and Putin last interacted during the SCO summit in Tianjin this September.

Both nations remain committed to supporting a multipolar global order and continue extensive consultations in platforms such as BRICS, G20, and the UN, reinforcing their shared vision of stability within Eurasia.​

India and Russia’s enduring cooperation spans defence, nuclear energy, space, technology, and cultural exchange, with new initiatives expected in maritime security and emerging technologies. As Jaishankar stated, with the summit agenda under active review, both countries are determined to extract concrete deliverables, further bolstering bilateral ties even as external challenges evolve.​

Jaishankar’s Moscow visit confirms both the strength and adaptive nature of India–Russia relations. His address set a clear tone for uncompromising security policy, economic reform, and a sustained strategic partnership, with regional and global ramifications closely watched by the international community.​​

Based On ANI Report