National Security Adviser Ajit Doval is set to travel to Moscow next week to attend the 13th International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues, where he is expected to urge the Russian government to expedite the delivery of the remaining S-400 air defence systems. The development comes amid reports of India placing fresh orders for the same.
The conference, which will be chaired by Russia’s Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu, is scheduled to be held in the Russian capital from May 27 to 29. Doval will also hold bilateral meetings with several of his counterparts, including Shoigu, during his stay, official sources confirmed.
Doval’s visit will be preceded by a delegation of Indian Members of Parliament arriving in Moscow on Thursday, indicating a renewed push in Indo-Russian diplomatic and parliamentary engagement.
The visit carries added significance in the wake of recent Indian air strikes on Pakistani terror launch pads under Operation Sindoor, where India employed multiple Russian-origin platforms, including the BrahMos missile—developed jointly by India and Russia—and the S-400 defence system. These systems, alongside India’s indigenous Akashteer defence network, reportedly played a pivotal role in thwarting drone and missile strikes launched from across the border.
“The Russian-made S-400 defence system, along with India’s Akashteer defence system, proved pivotal for India as they mitigated drone and missile attacks from Pakistan on Indian civil and military locations earlier this month,” a senior security official stated.
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New Delhi is said to be seeking a renewed political understanding from Moscow in its ongoing fight against Pakistan-based terrorist infrastructure. The longstanding India-Russia strategic partnership, particularly in counter-terror cooperation, remains a cornerstone of India’s foreign policy amid an increasingly volatile regional climate.
The External Affairs Ministry, in a statement issued earlier this month, noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin had condemned the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 civilians were killed, calling it a “brutal crime”. On a call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Putin expressed “full support to India in the fight against terrorism” and conveyed his “deepest condolences on the loss of innocent lives”.
Both leaders reiterated that Indo-Russian relations remain resilient in the face of “external influence”, and would continue to evolve “dynamically”, the ministry added.
Notably, Doval’s trip follows the cancellation of planned visits to Russia by both Prime Minister Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh earlier this month, citing the deteriorating security situation after the Pahalgam killings. Modi was initially scheduled to attend Russia’s 80th Victory Day parade on 9 May. Singh was later deputed in his place, but also called off his visit.
While the NSA-level security conference was scheduled in advance, officials noted that it now assumes “greater strategic relevance” given India’s recent operational dependence on Russian-origin defence platforms and the critical geopolitical balance in Eurasia.
“Russia has been among India’s closest counter-terror partners for decades,” a senior Indian official said. “What India now seeks is a stronger political understanding from Russia in countering Pakistan-based terror infrastructure in keeping with India-Russia’s strong security and strategic partnership.”
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