New Delhi, India - Foreign Minister S Jaishankar is set to embark on a visit to Russia from December 25 to 29, as part of the ongoing high-level exchanges between the two countries, announced the Indian government. This visit aims to strengthen bilateral ties and explore opportunities to enhance economic engagement.

During his visit, Jaishankar will have a crucial meeting with his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, where they will engage in discussions covering regional and global issues. Topics of interest will include the conflicts in Ukraine and the recent Israel-Hamas conflict.

In addition to the meeting with Lavrov, Jaishankar will also hold talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Trade Minister Denis Manturov. The focus of these discussions will be on exploring ways to improve economic ties and further boost trade and investment between India and Russia.

It is noteworthy that this visit by the Indian Foreign Minister is seen as a compensatory measure due to the cancellation of the annual India-Russia summit earlier this year. The two countries traditionally hold an annual summit, but this year's meeting did not materialize as planned. The last such summit took place in late 2021 when President Vladimir Putin visited India. Previously, there were discussions for a summit this year, which would have led to Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting Moscow.

Jaishankar's visit will include engagements in both Moscow and St. Petersburg, two important cities in Russia. The aim is to further strengthen the strategic partnership between India and Russia and foster stronger diplomatic relations.

This visit is expected to provide an opportunity for both countries to explore new avenues of cooperation and identify areas of mutual benefit. It will also serve as a platform to discuss key regional and global developments, with an emphasis on finding peaceful resolutions to ongoing conflicts.

As Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar gets ready for his visit to Russia, expectations are high for fruitful discussions and the initiation of concrete measures to enhance bilateral relations and economic cooperation between the two nations.