National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval is scheduled to visit Russia this week to discuss peace initiatives related to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, according to sources. During his trip, Doval, a former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, will also participate in the BRICS-NSA meeting.

This visit is expected to include bilateral discussions with Doval’s counterparts from Russia and China, potentially continuing conversations from the BRICS summit held in Moscow in July.

BRICS, an informal coalition of nations, now includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iran, Egypt, and Ethiopia. The previous BRICS-NSA meeting took place in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2023, where Doval represented India.

As per sources, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently informed Russian President Vladimir Putin during a phone call that Doval would be visiting Russia to explore peace-related ideas, particularly following Doval's earlier visit to Ukraine.

In August 2024, Prime Minister Modi made a historic visit to Ukraine, where he emphasized to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that "dialogue and diplomacy" were key to ending the war. Modi also offered India's assistance in peace mediation, presenting himself as a friend willing to support negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.

This visit followed Modi's earlier visit to Russia, which had attracted global attention, particularly after a friendly gesture between Modi and President Putin, which led to some criticism from the West, including disappointment from President Zelenskyy.