September 3, 2025

Here comes some exciting news for India’s energy and defence fans! Russia is offering India Urals crude oil at $3 to $4 less per barrel than the usual Brent price. This discount is no joke – just last week it was around $2.50, and in July only $1. The cheaper oil is for cargoes shipping in late September and October, making India's oil bills a little lighter. But wait, that’s not all! Remember the powerful S-400 surface-to-air missile system India bought from Russia for $5.5 billion in 2018? Three of the five units are already with India, and now Russia plans to deliver the last two – one each in 2026 and 2027. Dmitry Shugayev, who runs Russia’s Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, told news agency TASS, "There is potential to expand our cooperation in this area as well. That means new deliveries. For now, we are in the negotiation stage." These missile systems had already played a big part in India’s Operation Sindoor, targeting terror camps across the border. So, more S-400 units will definitely add to India’s defence muscle. All this is happening amid some drama. The US is unhappy with India for buying oil and arms from Russia, especially after Ukraine’s conflict started. Last month, US President Donald Trump slapped a hefty 50% tariff on many Indian imports, half targeting India's Russian oil trade. US officials accused India of "profiteering" by buying cheap Russian oil and reselling it. As US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, "Indian arbitrage, which is buying cheap oil and reselling it, has just sprung up during the [Ukraine] war. This is just unacceptable." The diplomacy spice? Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Tianjin, China. Modi called the India-Russia friendship "very close," and Putin sweetly called Modi his "dear friend," saying their ties are "very good" and "developing dynamically." So, India scores big with cheaper Russian oil and more advanced S-400 missiles, strengthening defence and energy security while managing global political heat. Sounds like a masaledar deal sizzling with good news for India’s future!

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Tags: Russia, India, S-400 missile, Oil trade, Putin-modi meeting, Us tariffs,