External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will hold wide-ranging talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Monday, marking another significant engagement in the long-standing strategic partnership between the two nations. The meeting comes as both sides prepare for a detailed review of bilateral cooperation, regional security developments, and upcoming political engagements.

Announcing the visit, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on X that the ministers would engage in discussions on “upcoming political contacts” and key bilateral and global issues. According to ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, Jaishankar is arriving in Moscow as the head of India’s delegation for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Heads of State Council meeting scheduled for November 17–18.

Jaishankar and Lavrov are expected to assess the overall state of India–Russia relations, including defense, energy, trade, connectivity, and strategic technologies. They will also outline future areas of cooperation across major multilateral platforms such as the SCO, BRICS, the United Nations, and the G20. The evolving security landscape in Eurasia, the situation in Ukraine, and regional dynamics in the Indo-Pacific and Central Asia are likely to feature prominently in their discussions.

This visit builds on sustained top-level engagement between New Delhi and Moscow throughout 2025. Jaishankar last traveled to Russia from August 19–21 to co-chair the 26th Session of the India–Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC). During that trip, he met Russian President Vladimir Putin, First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, and Foreign Minister Lavrov, and interacted with scholars and policy experts in Moscow.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Putin also held a telephone conversation in October to review progress across the bilateral agenda. Modi conveyed birthday greetings to the Russian leader and reaffirmed India’s commitment to deepening strategic cooperation. The two leaders are expected to meet again in December when President Putin visits India for the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit — his first trip to New Delhi since 2021.

The continued pace of high-level exchanges underscores the resilience of India–Russia ties amid global geopolitical shifts. Monday’s meeting between Jaishankar and Lavrov is expected to set the stage for a productive SCO summit and further momentum in bilateral collaboration as both countries navigate an increasingly complex international environment.