Amid uncertainty in trade relations with the United States, India is set to intensify diplomatic engagements with Russia and China in the coming days.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will visit Moscow on August 21 to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, with talks expected to cover bilateral priorities and cooperation in multilateral forums. The trip is part of preparations for the annual India-Russia summit, during which President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit India later this year.
The visit follows National Security Adviser Ajit Doval’s recent trip to Russia, where he met Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu and held a special meeting with President Putin. Shortly afterward, Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi held what Modi described as a “detailed” phone conversation.
Separately, India is preparing to host Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi ahead of Jaishankar’s Moscow visit. Wang is expected to meet Doval and other officials, with discussions likely focused on the India-China border issue and regional security. The meeting will come just three months after Operation Sindoor, when India accused China of providing “live inputs” to Pakistan during a brief conflict.
Wang’s trip will also serve as part of the lead-up to PM Modi’s expected attendance at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin, China. However, officials say India will tread cautiously in engaging Beijing, given China’s close ties with Pakistan.
The moves come in the backdrop of U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent imposition of high
