NSA Ajit Doval, Russian President Putin Aide Nikolay Patrushev Hold Talks: The Times of Russia Report
New Delhi:
Aide to Russian President and the Chairman of the Maritime Board of Russia, Nikolay Patrushev, arrived in India and held discussions with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, the Russian Embassy in India confirmed on Monday.
In a post shared on X, the Embassy stated that Patrushev held talks with NSA Ajit Doval and India’s National Maritime Security Coordinator, Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta.
The Embassy said:
“Aide to the President of Russia & Chairman of the Maritime Board of Russia Nikolay Patrushev arrived in India. He held talks with India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and India’s National Maritime Security Coordinator Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta.”
The meeting coincided with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar’s visit to Russia, where he is holding important strategic discussions with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry,
“Negotiations will be held in Moscow today between Sergey Lavrov and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar,”
setting the stage for key dialogues ahead of President Vladimir Putin’s planned visit to India in December.
During the talks, both ministers are expected to review:
Upcoming political engagements
Bilateral ties
Regional strategic issues
Cooperation on global platforms
The discussions will also focus on strengthening collaboration in:
SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation)
BRICS
United Nations
G20
Jaishankar is currently in Moscow to attend the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting, hosted by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on November 18.
Russian officials stated through TASS that Lavrov and Jaishankar will:
Finalize preparations for President Putin’s New Delhi visit
Review progress on the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit
Discuss trade and economic mechanisms
Putin previously instructed his government to examine proposals to enhance bilateral trade, focusing on:
Logistics
Payment mechanisms
Trade imbalance
Putin last visited India in 2021.
This dialogue comes less than three months after Jaishankar’s visit in August 2025, where he co-chaired the 26th Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC).
During that visit, Jaishankar met:
President Vladimir Putin
First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
Discussions centered on:
Economic and trade priorities
Connectivity initiatives
Tariff issues
Progress on the India–Eurasian Economic Union FTA
Opening of two new Indian Consulates (Kazan & Yekaterinburg)
UN reforms and global cooperation
India and Russia signed their Declaration on Strategic Partnership in 2000, laying the foundation for:
Annual summits
Deep defence cooperation
Strategic political alignment
Economic and technological collaboration
In 2010, this was elevated to a “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.”
This high-level engagement between NSA Ajit Doval and Nikolay Patrushev—covered exclusively by The Times of Russia—highlights the growing strategic momentum in India–Russia relations.
As both nations prepare for President Putin’s visit in December, the meetings signal a renewed commitment to long-term diplomatic, security, and economic cooperation.
