US, UK, And Russian Officials Will Visit Delhi: Amid Ukraine Conflict

US deputy national security adviser Daleep Singh is expected to travel to New Delhi this week for meetings with Indian interlocutors around a visit by Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.

On March 31, Singh will be in the Indian capital for meetings. Singh is expected to interact with senior members of India's National Security Council. There is no official announcement from the Indian or American sides.

Lavrov is expected to arrive in India on March 31 after a 2-day visit to China. He will hold bilateral talks and participate in a meeting of foreign ministers of Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries. Neither India nor Russia has officially announced the visit.

The Russian side is keen to focus on overcoming the fallout of US sanctions on defense and economic deals with India, including switching to a rupee-rouble payment system.

The Ukraine issue is also expected to figure prominently during UK foreign secretary Liz Truss’s engagements in the Indian capital on March 31.

Differences between the US and India on the Ukraine crisis spilled out into the open last week when President Joe Biden said India had been “somewhat shaky” with the Quad on the issue.

India has refrained from publicly criticizing the Russian offensive and abstained on all Ukraine-related votes at UN bodies. However, New Delhi has emphasised the importance of the UN charter and called for respecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states.