New Delhi: India's perfect balancing act between major powers and its strategic and economic agenda is driving this week's bonhomie.
External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar began his new year by engaging in conversations with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, followed by his conversation with Russian FM Sergey Lavrov, which saw an extensive discussion on regional and global issues including Indo-Pacific, Afghanistan, Central Asia.
This has set the tone for India's quintessential role in the balancing act between the United States and Russia, especially when both nations are facing deep differences diplomatically.
In an interview with ETV Bharat, former diplomat Achal Malhotra said, "India has made aptly clear that developing relations with one country is not at the cost of its relations with any other country. India would like to be as friendly with the US as with Russia".
He recalled that there was a brief period in 2015 when the Russians got the impression that India was probably trying to abandon Russia and trying to develop relations with America. But since then, things were made clear to Russia and Russians are now ok and they understand."
"Although India's relations with Russia are not as emotional as they used to be, both countries understand each other's compulsions. Therefore, India is dealing with both the powers (the US and Russia) on equal footing", he added.
"India doesn't believe in alliances but partnerships. That's how India has a comprehensive global strategic partnership with America and a special and privileged strategic partnership with the Russian Federation. And the relation must go on delinked from each other", he reiterated.