Diplomatic Visit to Moscow Expected from Indian Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri, This Week
India's Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri, is set to visit Moscow this week for a preparatory visit ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposed visit to India. This visit comes at a time when Western pressure on New Delhi to curtail ties with Moscow has considerably eased.
Misri's visit is expected to positively impact the India-Russia trade relationship, particularly reinforcing cooperation in oil, fuel, and fertilizer sectors, which are key areas of mutual interest. The upcoming visit is part of a pattern of diplomatic activity designed to maintain and expand trade and energy cooperation with Russia.
The discussions at the upcoming summit are likely to focus on broad-basing the trade basket, increasing market access for Indian goods in Russia, and reducing trade imbalance. This follows the agenda of the 22nd annual summit between India and Russia, co-chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Putin last year in July. During this summit, India and Russia decided to ramp up ties, with a particular focus on fuel and fertilizer security.
The Russian support has been instrumental in helping India protect its citizens from fuel price shocks and ensure ample supplies of fertilizers for farmers. The India-Russia pact on fuel supplies played a role in stabilizing the global fuel market, as mentioned by Modi.
Moreover, President Putin last visited New Delhi over three years ago, in December 2021, before the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022. The discussions at the summit were held in an uncertain world marked by the Covid-19 pandemic and armed conflict, as mentioned by Modi.
The visit also marks a significant step in strengthening existing frameworks and possibly exploring new avenues for collaboration. India's leadership continues to emphasize the strategic partnership with Russia while balancing ties with the U.S. and other global players.
Prime Minister Modi, during his visit to Moscow last year, thanked President Putin for Russia's support on the food and fertilizer security front. He also acknowledged Putin's support for India's "Make in India" initiatives, which aim to generate jobs for Indian youth.
In August 2025, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar undertook a significant three-day official visit to Russia, during which he co-chaired the 26th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC). This session focused on deepening bilateral economic ties, including areas critical to fuel, energy security, and fertilizer supply. Jaishankar’s visit, occurring shortly after Misri’s consultations, shows sustained Indian efforts to strengthen energy and trade cooperation with Russia despite external pressures.
In conclusion, the upcoming visit of Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to Moscow is a testament to the sustained efforts of both nations to strengthen their strategic partnership, particularly in the areas of oil, fuel, and fertilizer security. This visit is expected to further cement ties between India and Russia, two time-tested friends.
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