Exterior Affairs Minister S Jaishankar lauded the “optimistic relationship” between India and Russia and mentioned the 2 nations have “taken additional care to take care of one another’s pursuits”. He additionally dismissed the belief that Russia was gravitating in the direction of China.
He made the remarks whereas addressing the Indian group in Singapore on Sunday. The Union Minister is at present on a go to to the city-state from March 23 to 27.
Whereas replying to a question on how relations between Russia and India would evolve, Jaishankar mentioned, “India ought to have a look at a rustic, not simply Russia, from the attitude of that nation. So, inform me has Russia helped us or harmed us? Has Russia at essential moments contributed or obstructed? Going forward, are there beneficial properties to be constituted of Russia or is it solely injury which can come out?”
“So, if I do my calculations from my perspective and my experiences, I’ll get the reply. And the reply on this case is that Russia is a rustic with which we now have at all times had a optimistic relationship.
“Each India and Russia have taken that additional care to take care of one another’s pursuits. So, I feel we should always have that confidence as we go ahead,” he added.
Additionally on Sunday, Jaishankar mentioned that he spoke to Russian Overseas Minister Sergei Lavrov and provided condolences to the victims of the March 23 attack at the Crocus City Hall, a shopping center and music venue in Moscow.
“Spoke to Russian Overseas Minister Sergey Lavrov. Conveyed our deepest condolences on the lack of lives within the horrific terrorist assault in Moscow,” he mentioned in a tweet.
Earlier this month, the Russian Foreign Minister had recalled how his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar countered the West over New Delhi’s choice to buy crude oil from Moscow amid the Ukraine conflict.
Whereas addressing the World Youth Discussion board in Russia’s Sochi, Lavrov described Jaishankar as his “good friend” and mentioned the Exterior Affairs Minister had questioned how a lot oil Europe had begun buying and harassed that India shopping for crude oil from Russia was a “nationwide dignity”.
(With inputs from PTI)