NSA Doval in Russia to Discuss Defence & Security Ties, Oil Sanctions as Tariffs Loom

India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is set to meet senior Russian officials in Moscow on Wednesday with an aim to discuss the defence and security cooperation between the two countries, besides oil sanctions and an upcoming Modi-Putin summit.

Doval’s visit to Russia started even as US President Donald Trump threatened that he would announce an increase to the 25% tariffs on Indian goods, which is expected to come in effect from August 7.

According to Russia’s official TASS agency, “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].”

Among talks on defence cooperation, the NSA is also expected to discuss the delivery of the remaining S-400 missile systems, the ones that played an important role during the India-Pakistan conflict and operation Sindoor in May this year.

This visit to Moscow marks Doval’s first since Operation Sindoor, although he had attended the SCO NSA meeting at Beijing in June and also met Russia’s Security Council Deputy Secretary Aleksandr Venediktov there. Additionally, Russia’s recent decision to grant recognition to the Taliban regime in Afghanistan is also expected to come up.

In the now scheduled meeting, the official is expected to talk about India’s stand on the US threats and tariffs and will also prepare for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India later this year for the annual summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Both the countries are also expected to discuss the latest moves for talks between Russia and Ukraine, after the Kremlin announced on Tuesday that US Special envoy Steve Witkoff will be in Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.

While announcing Witkoff’s visit, Putin’s Presidential aide Dmitry Peshkov said that the Russian President was prepared to meet Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after expert-level talks. However, no timeline was given for the meeting.

When asked about Trump’s latest threats against India, Peshkov stated that Russia believes “sovereign countries must have, and do have, the right to choose their trade partners, the partners in trade and economic cooperation, on their own, and independently determine those modes of trade and economic cooperation that suit the interests of a country in question.”

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is also scheduled to visit Moscow later this months, to conduct talks on the PM visit. This visit has been delayed for several years due to the Ukraine conflict that began in February 2022.

Doval reportedly travelled to Moscow overnight after attending the official and bilateral meetings during Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State visit to Delhi.