India and Russia are moving to reinforce a long-standing strategic partnership as both countries confront an increasingly fragmented international system shaped by geopolitical rivalry, economic sanctions, trade disputes and shifting security priorities. The latest high-level talks in Moscow between Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and senior Russian officials underline the breadth of a relationship that has survived the Cold War and continues to adapt to new international realities.

Jaishankar’s visit comes ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s expected visit to India for the BRICS summit in New Delhi on September 12-13. His meetings in Moscow are therefore significant not merely as another round of bilateral consultations, but as preparations for a potentially important phase in India-Russia relations.

Co-chairing the 27th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation with Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, Jaishankar emphasized the resilience of the bilateral relationship. Despite an increasingly complicated international environment, he argued, cooperation between New Delhi and Moscow has continued to deepen.

That resilience is particularly evident in trade. Bilateral commerce has expanded dramatically in recent years, driven primarily by India’s growing purchases of Russian energy. According to S. Jaishankar, trade increased more than fourfold from roughly $13 billion in 2021-22 to more than $60 billion in 2025-26. The two governments have set an ambitious target of $100 billion in bilateral trade by 2030.

Yet the rapid expansion of trade has also exposed structural weaknesses. India’s imports from Russia have grown substantially faster than its exports, creating a significant trade imbalance. Addressing this problem will be essential if the $100 billion target is to represent sustainable economic integration rather than simply a larger flow of Russian commodities into the Indian market.

Both sides are therefore focusing on market access, tariff and non-tariff barriers, payment mechanisms and greater participation by businesses. Russia is also hoping that negotiations between India and the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union on a free........

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