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Against the backdrop of the ongoing U.S.-Israel struggle with Iran, Indian and Russian diplomats held a circular of Foreign Office Consultations present connected Monday (March 30, 2026). The gathering came days aft Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow was moving connected the annual India-Russia acme to beryllium held aboriginal this twelvemonth successful Russia.
The Russian delegation was headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko, portion the Indian broadside was led by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. “Both sides reviewed the afloat spectrum of Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership and shared perspectives connected bilateral, determination and planetary issues of communal interest,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. A Russian Embassy readout said the 2 sides “discussed a wide scope of issues connected the bilateral agenda, including the docket of upcoming contacts”, indicating that schedules of high-level meetings were besides discussed.
Later successful the evening, Mr. Rudenko met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and discussed “regional and planetary developments”.
India is the existent seat of BRICS, which includes Russia and India among its founding members. The grouping has not travel retired with a connection adjacent arsenic the U.S.-Israel attacks connected Iran person prompted the Islamic Republic to deed the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, expanding complications for the BRICS arsenic Saudi Arabia, Iran and the UAE are members of the bloc.
Highlighting India’s absorption connected multilateral outfits successful the existent signifier of planetary events, Mr. Jaishankar, virtually addressing a league connected India-Russia relations connected March 23, said “evolving multipolar world” calls for person practice betwixt the 2 countries, “through BRICS, SCO, G20 and the United Nations”.
Speaking astatine the aforesaid lawsuit virtually, Mr. Lavrov called for greater practice wrong the “frameworks of the UN, BRICS, SCO and the G20” and said, “We are acceptable to afloat assistance our Indian friends passim the full duration of their Chairmanship (of BRICS).”
Subsequently, connected March 25, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian indicated convergence of interests implicit BRICS among Russia, India and China (RIC) and said India and China presumption each different arsenic “development opportunities”, calling for greater practice connected issues related to the Global South and BRICS.
India’s ties with Russia faced outer unit erstwhile U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a punishment tariff connected India successful August 2025 for buying Russian crude, a determination aimed astatine weaning India distant from the Russian vigor sector, which, according to the U.S. argumentation makers, would assistance successful resolving the situation successful Ukraine. However, against the backdrop of the ongoing Gulf war, which has triggered a planetary vigor crisis, India has resumed acquisition of Russian oil.
