New Delhi:: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar Friday held talks with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Friday. The high-level talks took place in the backdrop of indications that India could buy greater volumes of discounted Russian oil and both sides were keen on having a ruble-rupee arrangement for bilateral trade. This is a day after the US warned of consequences over attempts to "circumvent" American sanctions against Moscow.
In his opening remark, EAM Jaishankar reiterated that India has always been in favor of resolving differences and disputes through dialogue and diplomacy. "We have diversified our cooperation by expanding our agenda. Our meeting today takes place in a difficult international environment apart from the pandemic," Jaishankar said.
Before the meeting, Lavrov said, "friendship is the keyword” in the history of Indian and Russian bilateral relations. Alluding to the British and American interlocutors in the last few days, he said that “our western colleagues would like to reduce a meaningful international issue to the crisis in Ukraine”. "You know our position and we do not hide anything…we appreciate that India is taking this situation in the entirety of facts, and not in a one-sided way,” Lavrov said, as the two Foreign Ministers began their meeting.
Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Minister said that Russia is looking at a multipolar world while adding that "India Russia relationship is sustainable" calling for a "balanced" world order.
EAM Jaishankar said that the bilateral relations between India-Russia have continued to grow in many areas and that the two nations have diversified their cooperation by expanding their agenda while acknowledging that the meeting today takes place in a difficult international environment quite apart from the pandemic. Jaishankar said, "This year is important in our bilateral relations as we mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations".
The Ministers also discussed the situation in Afghanistan. Minister Lavrov conveyed his assessment of the recent conference on Afghanistan in China. EAM Jaishankar noted that UNSCR 2593 expressed the concerns of the international community and spoke of humanitarian support for the Afghan people. The Foreign Ministers also spoke on Iran and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA).
Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov arrived in New Delhi on Thursday evening after concluding a two-day visit to China. He is in New Delhi for a two-day official visit. This is Lavrov's first visit to India since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Lavrov is expected to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi later during the day.
Experts believe that the proposed rupee-rouble payment system if finalized is likely to help the two long-standing strategic partners carry on with bilateral trade while avoiding the purview of Western sanctions on Russia. India is also likely to press for timely delivery of various military hardware as well as components of the S-400 missile systems by Russia.
India has not yet criticized Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and it abstained from voting at the UN platforms in condemning the Russian aggression. However, last Thursday, India abstained on a resolution pushed by Russia on the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, which was seen as reflective of its neutral position on the conflict. India has been pressing for the resolution of the crisis through diplomacy and dialogue.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had phone conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24, March 2, and March 7. Modi had spoken to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy twice. Last week, Jaishankar said in Parliament that India's position on the Ukraine conflict has been "steadfast and consistent" and that it has been seeking immediate cessation of violence.
(With agency inputs)
