NSA Doval Meets Putin in Moscow to Deepen Strategic Ties
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu in Moscow to bolster the India-Russia strategic partnership. The high-level talks focused on regional security, defence cooperation, and preparations for an upcoming bilateral summit in India, which Doval confirmed is scheduled for late August. The visit underscores the continued importance of the relationship between New Delhi and Moscow amid shifting global dynamics and trade tensions with the West.
Unpacked:
Key areas include defence, civil nuclear energy, politics, anti-terrorism cooperation, space exploration, trade, and technology. The partnership is institutionalized through annual summits and mechanisms like the India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission (IRIGC), which manages cooperation in trade, technology, and military matters.
India has maintained a neutral stance on Western-Russian tensions, notably over the Ukraine conflict, prioritizing its national interests. This approach allows India to balance its strategic ties with Russia against relationships with the US and Europe, despite pressure from Western countries to reduce cooperation with Moscow.
The summit continues the tradition of annual high-level meetings established since 2000, serving to review progress, sign new agreements, and reaffirm cooperation across strategic areas. It is expected to address regional security, defence collaboration, and adapt the partnership to evolving global dynamics.
India and the Soviet Union were close allies, especially during the 1971 India-Pakistan war. After the Soviet collapse, ties waned but were revitalized with the 2000 Strategic Partnership Treaty. Since then, the relationship has deepened, with annual summits and expanded cooperation across multiple sectors.