S Jaishankar in Moscow for India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar began a two-day visit to Russia on August 23 to co-chair the 27th session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation.

The invitation came from Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov. Jaishankar will also hold talks with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on regional and global developments. The two ministers met only a month earlier.

Sectoral working groups under the commission cover trade, industrial cooperation, energy, chemicals and fertilisers, information technology, pharmaceuticals and mining. The meetings prepare the ground for higher-level engagements, including Russian President Vladimir Putin's expected participation in the BRICS summit in New Delhi in September.

American tariff pressure and recent legislative moves in Washington are expected to feature in the discussions. India has maintained steady energy and defence ties with Russia even as Western sanctions have reshaped global supply chains.

The visit underscores the continuity of the India-Russia relationship at a moment when both countries are navigating competing pressures from the United States and China. Concrete outcomes will depend on the ability of the working groups to convert political goodwill into measurable increases in bilateral trade and technology collaboration.

Jaishankar's previous Moscow trip in November 2025 focused on the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. This week's agenda is narrower and more commercial, reflecting the practical priorities of the inter-governmental mechanism.