Indian private sector and State-run refiners continued to receive crude oil from Russian suppliers even after November 21 -- the winding-down date for US sanctions on supplies from leading Russian oil producers imposed in October -- as new intermediaries sprung up in West Asia to sell the oil, according to senior refining sources and ship tracking data.
United States President Donald Trump's special envoy for Russia-Ukraine negotiations, Keith Kellogg, has been excluded from high-level discussions aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, according to a report in NBC News.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met with Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov to discuss bilateral military-technical ties and implementation of joint projects in strategic sectors. The meeting comes amid growing US pressure and tariffs on Indian goods.
The White House has criticized the Nobel Peace Prize Committee for allegedly overlooking President Donald Trump's contributions to global peace, citing his efforts in brokering deals and resolving conflicts.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reiterated India's support for an early end to the conflict in Ukraine after a conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha. The discussion follows recent diplomatic engagements, including meetings between Prime Minister Modi and both President Putin and President Zelenskyy.
Reflecting close ties between India and Russia and his personal rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin quipped during their bilateral meeting on Tuesday that they have such a relationship that Modi will not need a translator.
When asked about Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un with Chinese President Xi Jinping at China's military parade and whether he is considering slapping secondary sanctions on Moscow, Trump said, "Well, I've already done that with regard to India, and we're doing it with regard to other things."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday reaffirmed his commitment to the country's territorial integrity, insisting that Kyiv continues to claim all territories now under Russian control, RT reported.
'There is no question that Putin's preference will be to avoid unpleasantness with Trump, leave alone a collision course,' observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
'The Alaska Summit made me realise that while difficult, peace is within reach.'
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has travelled to Russia to hold crucial talks on bilateral energy and defence ties and to prepare ground for Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to India later this year.
Former White House official John Bolton suggests that tariffs imposed on India by the US for purchasing Russian oil may have unintended consequences, potentially driving New Delhi closer to Beijing and Moscow.
Or is he training for the Olympics in Paris this July?
United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned that the secondary tariffs on India could go up if 'things don't go well' during talks between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Tuesday officially conferred the 'Order of St Andrew the Apostle' award by Russian President Vladimir Putin for his contribution to fostering bilateral ties between the two countries.
Escorted by four fighter jets, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a rare one-day lightning tour to the Middle East during which he visited Saudi Arabia after a short trip to the United Arab Emirates.
Putin's remarks came within two weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic visit to Ukraine where he held talks with President President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Kremlin on Tuesday dismissed the reports claiming President Vladimir Putin is suffering from ill health and called it 'yet another canard'.
On May 16, Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in China for a two-day State visit as both countries looked to further deepen the relationship between Moscow and Beijing.
India has been stoutly defending its "special and privileged strategic partnership" with Russia and maintained the momentum in the ties notwithstanding the Ukraine conflict.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer joined European allies in a video call to discuss the Ukraine conflict ahead of President Zelensky's visit to the White House for talks with President Trump.
United States President Donald Trump has said there will be no trade negotiations with India until a dispute over tariffs is resolved, following his administration's decision to double tariffs on Indian imports.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the Ukraine conflict and bilateral relations, reaffirming their commitment to global peace and stability.
Modi in a post on X said the two leaders also discussed measures to further strengthen Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
Pakistan and China are among the countries which are testing nuclear weapons, United States President Donald Trump has said to justify his administration's plans to resume testing of the US's own nuclear assets after a gap of over three decades.
Putin received more votes in comparison to the 2018 elections where he bagged 76.69 per cent of the total votes counted. The performance of the other candidates was lower than that of the previous competitors of Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2018, according to reports.
The two leaders will hold wide-ranging talks at the 22nd India-Russia annual summit on Tuesday that is largely being seen in the context of wider geopolitical turmoil arising out of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The trade relationship between India and the United States has been strained by the imposition of 25% tariff by the US on Indian goods.
Will Russia's entry deter Trump on his warpath?, asks Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
During a visit to the UK, former US President Donald Trump reiterated his claim of intervening to resolve a conflict between India and Pakistan, linking it to trade negotiations. He also discussed tariffs on India for buying Russian oil and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
His assertion came after Trump claimed that his "friend" PM Modi has assured him that India would stop purchasing oil from Russia, a move he described as a big step toward increasing pressure on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has backed the imposition of tariffs on countries maintaining economic ties with Russia, saying it is the 'right idea' in the face of continued aggression by Moscow.
India responds to US President Trump's claim that PM Modi assured him of halting Russian oil imports, stating it is diversifying energy sources to meet market conditions and safeguard consumer interests.
Vladimir Putin took the oath for a new six year term as Russia's president on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.
'No respite from economic pain is worth the loss of dignity and self-respect,' asserts former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
Whether Trump will actually press ahead with the oil sanctions remains unclear, since keeping Russian oil out of the world market risks high oil prices which could boomerang on the US economy and be damaging politically for Trump, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
'Putin dreams about his legacy. He wants to forcibly restore the Russian empire.' 'Unfortunately, after three years of large-scale war with massive human losses, Putin will not budge from his goal because human life is the cheapest resource in the Russian State.'
Putin is keen on establishing a good personal rapport with Trump and anchor a meaningful US-Russia partnership, realistic enough to accept that Trump is as good an American president as Russia would ever get, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Trump also said he is "very disappointed" that India would be buying "so much oil" from Russia.
Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton says President Trump's personal relationship with Prime Minister Modi has deteriorated, potentially pushing India closer to Russia and China.
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