Russia President Putin to visit India soon, says NSA Ajit Doval
Ajit Doval is currently in Moscow. His visit comes amid some strain in ties between India and the US over New Delhi’s continuing procurement of Russian crude oil
National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval on Thursday (August 7) said that Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit India soon, according to a report.
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Doval, who is in Moscow, did not specify the dates of Putin’s visit.
What Doval said
“We have got a special, long relationship, and we value this relationship. We have had high-level engagement, and these high-level engagements have contributed very substantially. We are very excited and delighted to learn about the visit of President Putin to India. I think the dates are almost finalised now,” Doval said, according to a report by Interfax news agency.
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Doval’s visit to Russia comes amid some strain in ties between India and the US over New Delhi’s continuing procurement of Russian crude oil, notwithstanding Western sanctions on Moscow.
Trump’s tariffs on India
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued an executive order slapping an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods as a penalty for New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil.
The additional duties raised the overall tariff on India to 50 per cent.
Defending its purchase of Russian crude oil, India has been maintaining that its energy procurement is driven by national interest and market dynamics.
Bilateral energy and defence ties, as well as Western sanctions on Russian crude oil, are likely to figure in Doval’s talks with Russian officials.