India, Russia vow to expand economic cooperation, including energy sector

India and Russia on Tuesday vowed to expand their economic engagement including New Delhi’s import of petroleum products from its “time-tested” partner even as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasized on ending the Ukraine conflict in view of growing global concerns over energy and food security.

After holding wide-ranging talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov in Moscow, Jaishankar said India would be supportive of any initiative that “de-risks” the global economy and stabilises the global order at this stage.

In his opening remarks at the meeting with Lavrov, Jaishankar described Indo-Russia relations as “exceptionally steady” and “time-tested” and said the objective is to fashion a contemporary, balanced, mutually beneficial, sustainable and long-term engagement between the two sides.