Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar began a three-day visit to Moscow on 19 August at the invitation of First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov. The trip centres on co-chairing the 26th session of the India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC), which convened on 20 August. Speaking at the opening of the forum, Jaishankar highlighted a sharp expansion in bilateral merchandise trade, which he said has risen from USD 13 billion in 2021 to about USD 68 billion in the 2024-25 fiscal year. While describing the growth as a ‘positive trajectory’, he warned that the widening trade imbalance requires urgent attention and called for measures to diversify exports and improve market access for Indian goods. Jaishankar’s meetings with Manturov and other Russian officials are expected to cover energy, defence and technology cooperation as the two countries seek to deepen their strategic partnership amid shifting global supply chains and trade tensions elsewhere. The minister arrived in Moscow days after hosting China’s top diplomat in New Delhi, underscoring India’s effort to balance ties across major powers.