Discussed increased supply of Russian energy with Modi, Jaishankar: Lavrov

📌 Summary:

• A day before US waiver on sanctions on Indian imports of Russian oil is set to expire, Russian FM Sergei Lavrov said the topic of "increased supply of Russian energy" came up in his Thursday meetings with PM Modi and EAM S Jaishankar on the sidelines of the BRICS Foreign Ministers' meeting in New Delhi

• Lavrov: "We discussed key areas of our privileged strategic partnership… agreed to strengthen transport cooperation and investment cooperation, including development of the international transport corridor… discussed steps being taken to improve the system of direct mutual settlements and we discussed the increased supply of Russian energy, fertilisers"

• Three pillars flagged: (1) International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) connecting India to Russia via Iran, (2) rupee–rouble / non-dollar mutual settlement mechanism to bypass dollar-clearing risks, (3) higher Russian energy and fertiliser supplies to India

• Strategic context: US sanctions waiver on Indian refiners importing discounted Russian crude is expiring; Putin's planned year-end visit to India to anchor the privileged strategic partnership

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS2 — India and global groupings; bilateral with Russia; sanctions, energy security, and strategic autonomy. Tests India's ability to balance ties with the US (Quad/I2U2) and Russia (BRICS, S-400, oil).

📝 Prelims Facts:

• INSTC: 7,200 km multimodal corridor (ship, rail, road) linking India to Russia via Iran (Bandar Abbas / Chabahar) and Azerbaijan
• India is currently chair of BRICS 2026; BRICS now includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE
• "Privileged Strategic Partnership" between India and Russia upgraded at 2010 summit

🔑 Key Term: INSTC (International North-South Transport Corridor) — multimodal ship-rail-road corridor cutting India-Russia cargo transit time by ~40% vs Suez route.