Russia’s total trade reached about US$745 billion during 2025, also showcasing a significant, albeit shifting, trade surplus of about US$120 billion. In this section we cover all news concerning Russian trade developments, with Russian exporters increasingly reaching out into new markets on a global basis as it pivots away from the West. This is the definitive source on Russian trade. Get the latest data, analysis, and news on Russia’s import/export activities, trade agreements, and increasing commercial partnerships with the Global South.
Russia’s VTB bank is once again looking at developing operations in Iran as the conflict situation begins to calm down. Bilateral trade exceeded US$5 billion last year and has grown in 2026 despite problems. VTB will be looking to finance part of that trade.
The Iraq Ambassador to Russia, Dr. Abdul-Karim Hashim Mostafa has said it would be a ‘good idea’ for Iraq to join the BRICS, depending on the terms. Such a move would almost certainly face US opposition.
Russia has resumed the import of gas from Turkmenistan for the first time since 2016. The move fundamentally alters Eurasian and Russian gas flows and bypasses the troublesome Black Sea region.
The new Lucknow facility at the India-Russia Brahmos missile joint venture has increased total production capacity by 20%, with orders expected from other Asian nations.
The Belarus President Aleksander Lukashenko is on an Asian tour and has met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and proposed “11 Key Technologies” in which Belarus wants to cooperate with China in trade and investment.
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Russia needs to better secure its arbitration reach by both developing Bilateral Investment Treaties with Global South nations, and / or establishing a BRICS arbitration centre. We can expect a flurry of BIT agreements being signed in the coming months.
The Uzbeki Deputy Prime Minster has been discussing investment opportunities for Russia’s largest dairy producer in Uzbekistan. The country is a high dairy per capita consumer but still needs to import milk.
Russia’s Kalashnikov have agreed a deal to supply the Indian armed forces with anti-drone equipment and specialist drone small arms equipment, mainly for use in cold high-altitude regions in the Indian Himalayas.
Russia is bringing in new cryptocurrency laws from July 1 which have the potential to revolutionise Eurasian and global trade finance and especially with China, India, ASEAN and the Middle East. We examine the laws in detail and analyse what they mean in the next generation of international financial flows.
The BRICS countries are continuing their plans to establish a grain exchange, to divert agricultural trade away from Western platforms. The BRICS both produce and consume about 44% of the world’s total markets for corn, wheat and rice, with members Brazil, China, India, Indonesia and Russia amongst the world’s largest producers and consumers.
The Moscow Stock Exchange is to start trading futures on South Korea’s iShare market from July 9, which includes hi-tech companies such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.
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