Moscow: Russia has expressed confidence in deepening its strategic and energy partnership with India despite mounting US pressure over New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian crude oil. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has called for a “creative and innovative approach” to expand India-Russia ties in the face of complex geopolitical challenges. Moscow and New Delhi have set a target of taking bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030, even as their partnership faces increasing scrutiny from Western capitals.

Russian charge d’affaires Roman Babushkin on Wednesday said Moscow expects to play a role in India’s newly announced ‘Sudarshan Chakra’ air defence project, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day speech. “We proceed from the understanding that when it comes to the advancement of these systems, Russian equipment will be part of it,” Babushkin told reporters in New Delhi.

He described as “unjustified” the US pressure on India to cut Russian oil imports, adding that sanctions were “detrimental to global economic stability and energy security”. Despite the US imposing an additional 25 per cent duty on Indian goods for its energy dealings with Russia, doubling overall tariffs to 50 per cent, Moscow is confident the cooperation will endure. “Russia is the biggest supplier to India of crude oil and India’s demands are growing. This is a perfect case of mutual accommodation and complementarity of our economies,” Babushkin said.

India’s oil imports from Russia have surged dramatically in recent years. From just 1.7 per cent of its total imports in 2019–20, Russia’s share rose to 35.1 per cent in 2024–25, making it India’s largest supplier. New Delhi has defended these purchases as driven by national interest and market realities, especially after Russian crude was offered at discounted rates following Western sanctions over the Ukraine conflict.

Russian officials acknowledged that tariffs could create a swing of up to 5 per cent in oil prices, but maintained that long-term cooperation would not be affected. Babushkin also suggested that India’s exports could find a welcoming market in Russia, even as the US threatens secondary tariffs.

Meanwhile, in Moscow, Jaishankar held talks with Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov under the framework of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological, and Cultural Cooperation. Preparing the ground for President Vladimir Putin’s upcoming visit to India, Jaishankar urged both sides to “do more and do differently” to strengthen ties.

“The various working groups and sub groups could perhaps take a more creative and innovative approach towards their respective agendas. The challenges posed by the larger landscape require us to do so,” he said.

He proposed setting “quantifiable targets and specific timelines” for trade and investment, along with better coordination between business forums and inter-governmental groups. “We will like the IRIGC to become even more result-oriented, relevant and readily available to the business communities of the two sides,” he added.

Both Babushkin and Jaishankar underscored that defence cooperation will continue to be a key pillar of bilateral ties. Russian-supplied S-400 air defence systems, they noted, played a critical role during the May 7–10 hostilities between Indian and Pakistani militaries.
(With PTI inputs.)