In Moscow to meet Putin and Lavrov, India’s foreign minister praises growing trade

MOSCOW (AP) — India’s foreign minister has met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who said relations between the countries are progressing even amid turbulent times. Subramanyam Jaishankar’s meeting was part of a five-day visit. Putin said he would inform the Indian diplomat about the fighting in Ukraine, on which Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held a neutral stance. India is increasingly important to Russia as a market for oil exports as Western sanctions curtail oil shipments. India’s foreign minister praised the “all-time high” trade turnover between the two countries, which he said exceeded $50 billion last year.