Amid war with Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expected to visit India

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New Delhi: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is expected to visit India - a visit that comes amid global geopolitical turmoil amid Russian invasion of Ukraine. The visit will be the first such high level visit from Russia to India since 24th February when the invasion started. On the agenda will be many things, including a trading under rupee-ruble mechanism that the Indian finance ministry is looking into amid western sanctions on Moscow.

The invasion has changed the global geopolitical calculus as the West and Russia are locked in horns. New Delhi has been engaged by both sides on the situation even as it has been able to display its strategic autonomy. At the United Nations, India has abstained from votes on Ukraine-Russia resolutions, whether its west backed resolutions or more recently Russia back resolution on Ukraine even as it has been calling for direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv. EAM Jaishankar in the Parliament said, "We have expressed deep concern at the worsening situation and called for immediate cessation of violence and end to all hostilities."

Both Indian and Russian foreign ministers had spoken to each other on 24th February, and since then there has been a Russian outreach to Delhi in many ways, including Russian FM Lavrov meeting envoys of BRICS countries including Indian envoy Pavan Kapoor. Last week, Russian Deputy foreign minister Andrei Rudenko had met Indian envoy to Russia Kapoor to brief​ on the situation in Ukraine. Important to note, Rudenko has been part of the Russian delegation that held talks with the Ukraine side.

Later this year, PM Modi is expected to travel to Russia for the annual India Russia summit. Russian President Putin travelled to Delhi on 6th December of the annual summit. The second, 2+2 foreign and defense ministers meet will also take place in Russia this year for which Indian external affairs minister and defense ministers will be travelling to the country. The Russian foreign minister's expected travel comes even as India and the US will be holding 2+2 foreign and defense ministers meet in the 2nd week of April.