NSA Ajit Doval in Russia amid Trump tariff threat: Key talks with Kremlin; will oil be on agenda?
NEW DELHI: National Security Advisor
Ajit Doval
reached Moscow on Tuesday to hold talks on strategic partnership, defence, and security cooperation between India and Russia, Russian news agency TASS reported.
His visit comes as the Trump-led US administration continues to issue trade threats to countries closely aligned with Russia, including India.
This is a scheduled visit with discussions focused on defence cooperation between the two nations. "The current escalation of the geopolitical situation will also be discussed. Apart from that the topics will include such pressing matters as supplies of Russian oil [to India]," the source told TASS.
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump announced plans to impose a 25 per cent tariff on India as a 'penalty.' He also said India and Russia could 'take their dead economies down together,' prompting India to reiterate that it remains the world's fastest-growing major economy.
Trump further stated that India has "always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia," and is "Russia's largest buyer of energy, along with China."
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On Monday, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) described criticism from the US and EU over India's imports of Russian oil as 'unjustified,' pointing out that Western countries had previously supported such trade to stabilise global energy markets and still continue purchasing goods and services from Russia.
'India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security,' the MEA said, noting that the US and EU have continued trade with Russia, including in energy and key commodities, despite publicly opposing the Ukraine conflict.
The MEA also pointed to 'double standards,' highlighting that EU trade with Russia in 2024 was significantly higher than India's.
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