A large Indian trade delegation is set to embark on a four-day visit to Moscow starting Tuesday, marking a significant step in India’s efforts to expand its export base beyond traditional markets. The visit, organized by the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), comes as India looks to counter the impact of heightened tariffs imposed by the United States under President Donald Trump’s administration.
The delegation, comprising over 20 exporters from the engineering and tools sector, will participate in the MITEX Tools Expo in Moscow from November 11 to 14. This sector represents nearly one-fifth of India’s total merchandise exports, making the visit a crucial part of New Delhi’s strategy to strengthen its position in non-Western markets.
The move precedes the anticipated visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India next month, signaling growing economic collaboration between the two nations. “Russia has always been a valuable trading partner for India,” said S.C. Ralhan, President of FIEO. “Our engineering exports to Russia have been rising steadily and are expected to touch $1.75 billion this year. This mission aims to deepen trade relationships and highlight India’s strong manufacturing capabilities in the Russian market.”
The push for diversification comes as the US doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50%, penalizing India for continuing oil imports from Russia. This has strained the India-US trade relationship, though both sides are currently working toward a resolution through diplomatic channels.
According to industry data, India’s engineering exports to the US—its largest export destination—fell by 9.4% year-on-year to $1.40 billion in September. Meanwhile, overall exports to the US declined from $6.9 billion in August to $5.4 billion.
In contrast, trade with Russia has grown robustly. Indian exports to Russia surged 14.6% year-on-year to $4.9 billion in FY2024–25, while imports, dominated by crude oil and energy products, increased 4.3% to $63.8 billion.
India has benefited from opportunities in Russia created by the withdrawal of Western companies following the Ukraine conflict. However, recent US sanctions on major Russian oil exporters have temporarily slowed Indian oil imports.
During the Moscow trade fair, Indian firms will showcase a wide range of engineering products, reinforcing India’s growing reputation as a global manufacturing hub. The Indian Embassy and Commerce Ministry will also host business meetings to promote partnerships and potential joint ventures with Russian enterprises.
