External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday underscored the need to further deepen India-Russia ties across trade, energy and global governance, as they addressed a conference on bilateral relations against the backdrop of a shifting geopolitical landscape.Speaking virtually at the conference on ‘India and Russia: Towards a New Bilateral Agenda’, Jaishankar described the partnership as a “special and privileged strategic relationship” anchored in trust and mutual respect, saying the relations between the two nations continue to expand into new areas.Referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India in December-2025, he said the engagement had opened avenues in domains such as mobility of skilled professionals, health, maritime cooperation and academic exchanges.Jaishankar said both sides were working to scale up bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030, stressing the need to conclude the India–EAEU Free Trade Agreement and address regulatory barriers.Jaishankar also highlighted Russia’s role as a key partner in India’s civil nuclear programme, citing the Kudankulam project, and expressed confidence in continued cooperation as India targets 100 GW of nuclear capacity by 2047. He called for closer coordination in multilateral platforms such as BRICS, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, G20 and the UN in an evolving multipolar order.In his address, Lavrov reaffirmed that strengthening ties with India remains a key foreign policy priority for Moscow, describing the relationship as a model built on equality, mutual trust and respect for each other’s interests. He also praised India’s independent foreign policy and growing global influence.Lavrov said bilateral trade had reached about $60 billion and reiterated the shared goal of $100 billion by 2030, with a focus on logistics, technology and investment, including the International North-South Transport Corridor. He noted that a significant portion of trade was already being conducted in national currencies.Emphasising close foreign policy coordination, Lavrov said both countries remain committed to a multipolar world order and cooperation across platforms, including the UN, BRICS and SCO.He also confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was expected to visit Russia later this year, signalling continued high-level engagement between the two sides.