Foreign Minister S Jaishankar called on Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday as India stressed the importance of bilateral trade between the long-time partners, even as the US has imposed penal tariffs on India for buying oil from Russia despite the war in Ukraine, Hindustan Times reported.

Jaishankar earlier held talks with his counterpart Sergey Lavrov. At the press briefing after it, when asked about the US tariffs, he questioned the logic of the Americans' argument.

The Modi government has been stressing its ties with Russia, and working mutually on a thaw with neighbour China, ever since President Donald Trump singled India out for the highest tariffs the US has imposed as part of its new, inward-looking trade and foreign policy.

Before going to Russia, Jaishankar met Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi in New Delhi, according to Hindustan Times.