Jaishankar Meets Putin in Moscow

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday.

During a press conference afterward, Jaishankar expressed his confusion regarding the 25% punitive tariffs imposed on India for purchasing Russian oil.

“We believe that the relationship between India and Russia is among the most stable in the post-World War II era. Geopolitical alignment, leadership interactions, and public sentiment continue to play significant roles,” Jaishankar noted, standing alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

He mentioned that he found Trump’s stance on India’s large-scale oil purchases from Russia somewhat perplexing, suggesting that India is actually following the US’s lead to help stabilize global energy prices.

“We are indeed a country that the US has encouraged to stabilize the oil and energy markets, including through purchasing oil from Russia,” he remarked.

“Furthermore, we also buy oil from the United States, and that volume is increasing. Honestly, I struggle to grasp the logic of the discussion,” he added.

There seems to be an underlying contradiction in Jaishankar’s remarks, as he is fully aware of accusations suggesting that India is financially supporting Russian military actions by buying oil at discounted prices. It’s almost like he’s making excuses.

On another note, Interior Secretary Doug Burgham indicated that the Trump administration may impose similar punitive measures against China for buying Russian oil.

He stated, “The key right now is to ensure we distance ourselves from China regarding critical and rare earth minerals. That’s one of the leverage points in these trade negotiations, although the US holds various other advantages as well.”

Burgham mentioned that Trump has been hesitant to apply punitive sanctions against China, recognizing historic tensions between Russia and China. “I don’t want to replicate what Joe Biden implemented,” he said.

This scenario raises questions about whether Trump’s actions are pushing India and Russia closer together. Jaishankar seems intent on portraying that narrative during his visit to Moscow, promoting increased trade and further cooperation between the two nations. He also noted that India plans to open two new consulates in Russia to support Indian workers in the Russian industry.

Jaishankar is the second highest-ranking Indian official to meet with Putin this month, following national security adviser Ajit Doval, who met with Putin and Russian military officials on August 7th.

Both Jaishankar and Doval emphasized the importance of their “strategic partnership” with Russia, a relationship dating back to the early days of India’s independence.

The Institute for the Study of War reported that Russia has significantly invested in diplomatic efforts to maintain its relationship with India, indicating fears regarding the impact of secondary sanctions. This was evidenced by Jaishankar’s discussions with both Putin and Lavrov, as well as India’s Energy Minister earlier in the week.

“Putin and other senior Russian officials have dedicated considerable time and resources to strengthening ties with India, seeing it as a vital source of income,” the Institute suggested.