Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered to devise measures, including buying more agricultural products and medicines from India, to soften the trade imbalance with India due to heavy crude import by New Delhi.

Putin's announcement comes weeks ahead of his visit to India in early December for an annual summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Russian President was speaking at the international Valdai discussion forum of security and geopolitical experts from 140 countries, including from India, at the Black Sea resort of Sochi in South Russia on Thursday evening.

“The losses faced by India due to punitive US tariffs would be balanced by crude imports from Russia, plus it will gain prestige as a sovereign nation,” Putin said.

He was referring to the additional 25 per cent tari

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