Moscow (TDI): Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks on Thursday with India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, just a day after Washington announced higher tariffs on Indian goods over its continued purchase of Moscow’s oil.
US President Donald Trump has approved an additional 25% tariff to take effect in three weeks. The move is part of Washington’s broader effort to pressure Moscow to halt its military campaign in Ukraine by targeting its trade partners.
India remains one of the largest importers of Russian crude, a major source of income for the Kremlin, and also counts Russia among its leading suppliers of military hardware. The two countries have maintained close relations since the Soviet era.
Footage released by the Kremlin showed Putin greeting Doval with a handshake, though no specifics of their discussion were made public. Earlier in Moscow, Doval indicated that plans for Putin’s upcoming visit to India were “almost finalized.”
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Without directly naming Trump, the Kremlin condemned attempts to compel countries to cut trade with Russia, calling such measures “illegitimate.”
Since the start of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, Western allies of Kyiv have sought to curb Russia’s export revenues.
Read More: India in Trump’s Crosshairs: President Threatens to Raise Tariffs Further
However, Moscow has managed to reroute much of its energy trade from Europe to nations like India and China, allowing it to maintain a steady multi-billion-dollar income.
New Delhi has defended its purchases, saying Russian oil became a viable option after its traditional energy suppliers redirected shipments to Europe.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
