India's National Security Advisor Lands in Moscow for Talks
(MENAFN) India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval arrived in Moscow late Tuesday, just as U.S. President Donald Trump intensified pressure on India with a threat to impose sharply higher tariffs over its continued purchase of Russian oil, Indian media reported on Wednesday.
According to media, Doval's visit will include high-level meetings with Russian officials to review defense and security cooperation, as well as sanctions linked to oil imports. Discussions will also focus on preparations for an upcoming summit between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
This trip marks Doval’s first overseas mission since the flare-up in tensions between India and Pakistan in May, following a deadly April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir. That incident, which took place at the Pahalgam tourist destination, left 26 dead—most of them Indian tourists—after unidentified gunmen opened fire.
New Delhi attributed the attack to "cross-border links," while Islamabad denied involvement and called for an impartial investigation. The situation quickly escalated into retaliatory strikes and drone assaults between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. Tensions eased only after U.S. President Donald Trump brokered a ceasefire on May 10, which has held since.
A day prior to Doval's arrival, a Russian news agency cited an Indian source saying that the visit would involve discussions on the broader strategic partnership, particularly in defense and security. The source added: “The current aggravation of the geopolitical situation will also make adjustments to the agenda. Such topical issues as the supply of Russian oil (to India) will be discussed.”
The visit comes amid rising friction between New Delhi and Washington. In an interview with media on Tuesday, Trump vowed to “very substantially” raise tariffs on India within 24 hours, accusing it of profiting from the resale of Russian crude.
Trump had first signaled the tariff hike in a Truth Social post on Sunday. In response, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal pushed back on Monday, stating that the U.S. initially supported India’s Russian oil imports at the onset of the Ukraine war to help stabilize global energy markets.
“India has been targeted by the United States and the European Union for importing oil from Russia after the commencement of the Ukraine conflict,” said the ministry’s statement, calling the criticism “unjustified and unreasonable.”
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
