NEW DELHI: National Security Adviser Ajit Doval met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday, amid escalating pressure from Washington over India’s continued strategic and energy ties with Russia. Doval was accompanied by Indian Ambassador to Russia Vinay Kumar during the meeting.Earlier in the day, Doval held high-level talks with Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu, focusing on defence cooperation and broader strategic alignment. The visit comes just after US President Donald Trump announced an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods, citing New Delhi’s ongoing oil imports from Russia—raising total duties to 50%.The meeting underscored the growing alignment between New Delhi and Moscow amid global realignments and reaffirmed their commitment to a “special and privileged strategic partnership.”During the talks, Shoigu stressed the importance of “strong, time-tested ties of friendship” between the two nations, calling for full-scale negotiations between President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to further deepen bilateral ties. He described India as a key partner in building a “more just and sustainable world order,” based on mutual respect and shared interests.
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