EAM Jaishankar embarks on 3-day visit to Russia to boost strategic partnership

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday embarked on a three-day visit to Moscow to further strengthen the "time-tested" India-Russia partnership. The visit comes against the backdrop of strains in India's ties with the US following President Donald Trump doubling tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent that included an additional penalty of 25 per cent for purchasing Russian crude oil. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), announcing Jaishankar's trip, said he will co-chair the 26th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation to be held on Wednesday. Jaishankar and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov are also expected to discuss the latest initiatives by the Trump administration to bring peace to Ukraine. During the visit, the external affairs minister will review the bilateral agenda and share perspective on regional and global issues with the Russian foreign minister, the MEA said in a brief statement. "The visit aims to further strengthen the longstanding and time-tested India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic partnership," it added.