Jaishankar heads to Moscow for key talks and SCO summit

India Nov 17, 2025

India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is off to Moscow on November 17 to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
The goal? Strengthen India-Russia ties, especially with President Putin set to visit New Delhi next month.
Right after, Jaishankar will represent India at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Prime Ministers meeting on November 18.

What's the SCO and why does it matter?

The SCO is a regional group that started with China, Russia, and Central Asian countries—and now includes India, Pakistan, Iran, and Belarus.
Leaders from across member countries will be there; Pakistan's foreign minister is expected too, though no separate meeting with Jaishankar is planned.