Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday reiterated India’s stand on the Russian energy purchases saying India doesn’t want to join the sanctions against Russia. “India does not want to join the sanctions. Indian leaders, including my colleague, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, have publicly rejected any attempts to involve them in restrictions on Russian energy purchases. They have made it clear that they will follow their own interests,” said Lavrov while addressing the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.
Lavrov went further to state that it is not just common economic interest that binds the two nations but also the historic ties. “We are satisfied with the Russian-India relations. President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi met in 2021 and will have an opportunity to meet during the upcoming events like the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit that will happen this month,” he said. SCO Summit will happen in Samarkand on September 15 and PM Modi and President Putin will attend same.
Meanwhile, Jaishankar is expected to speak at the UN General Assembly on September 24 and Lavrov said that he was likely to meet him there. “India has always been one of our key priorities. Let me remind you that our relations with India are now characterised as the special and privileged strategic partnership,” Lavrov added. Russia’s Foreign Minister also spoke about the close cooperation his country has with India in the energy sector.
ALSO READ | Determined to enforce price cap on Russian oil: US
“Russian companies work in India, Indian companies work with us in Siberia and the Far East. Close and easily confidential military-technical cooperation, including the production of modern weapons, is being done. We have diversified ties in the agricultural sector, and also working towards a green transition. The Kundankulam Nuclear Power Plant is one of our flagship projects,” he added. Meanwhile, Lavrov also criticised the West for forcing others to join the sanctions.
“The West is saying that it must force the entire world to stop cooperating with Russia, to impose sanctions. How can they make such arrogant statements in relation to countries like India, China and Indonesia? It is insulting t hear such demands,” he added.
NEW DELHI: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday reiterated India’s stand on the Russian energy purchases saying India doesn’t want to join the sanctions against Russia. “India does not want to join the sanctions. Indian leaders, including my colleague, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, have publicly rejected any attempts to involve them in restrictions on Russian energy purchases. They have made it clear that they will follow their own interests,” said Lavrov while addressing the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.
Lavrov went further to state that it is not just common economic interest that binds the two nations but also the historic ties. “We are satisfied with the Russian-India relations. President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi met in 2021 and will have an opportunity to meet during the upcoming events like the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit that will happen this month,” he said. SCO Summit will happen in Samarkand on September 15 and PM Modi and President Putin will attend same.
Meanwhile, Jaishankar is expected to speak at the UN General Assembly on September 24 and Lavrov said that he was likely to meet him there. “India has always been one of our key priorities. Let me remind you that our relations with India are now characterised as the special and privileged strategic partnership,” Lavrov added. Russia’s Foreign Minister also spoke about the close cooperation his country has with India in the energy sector.
ALSO READ | Determined to enforce price cap on Russian oil: US
“Russian companies work in India, Indian companies work with us in Siberia and the Far East. Close and easily confidential military-technical cooperation, including the production of modern weapons, is being done. We have diversified ties in the agricultural sector, and also working towards a green transition. The Kundankulam Nuclear Power Plant is one of our flagship projects,” he added. Meanwhile, Lavrov also criticised the West for forcing others to join the sanctions.
“The West is saying that it must force the entire world to stop cooperating with Russia, to impose sanctions. How can they make such arrogant statements in relation to countries like India, China and Indonesia? It is insulting t hear such demands,” he added.
