Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said tensions in India-US relations do not threaten India's economic partnership with Russia. He also complimented India for showing "self-respect" by standing its ground despite external pressures and protecting its energy interests.
Speaking after his meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Lavrov emphasized that Russia has full respect for India's national interests and the "independent foreign policy" led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He highlighted that India and Russia share a "particularly privileged strategic partnership."
"These situations that might arise between India and the US or India and any other country, I can't consider them a criteria for relations between India and Russia," he said addressing the media.
"We have full respect for the national interests of India, full respect for the foreign policy (PM) Narendra Modi is carrying out to promote these national interests," added the minister, who is expected to visit India ahead of the India-Russia annual summit in Dec.
"There is no threat to this relationship. And, if somebody does do something of that nature, the Indian PM, minister of foreign affairs, have said it loud and clear, India chooses its own partners," he said.
Lavrov quoted Jaishankar as saying "if the US wants to sell its oil to us, we are prepared to discuss the terms for this, but what we buy from other countries, not the US, but from Russia or other countries, that's our business, and that has nothing to do with the Indian-US agenda".
"That is a very worthy answer," Lavrov stated, saying it shows India's "self-respect," the same as Turkiye.
Lavrov also said Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely to visit India in Dec for the annual summit. "We have a very extensive bilateral agenda - trade, military, technical cooperation, finance, humanitarian matters, healthcare, high tech, AI - and of course, close coordination at the international level, within the SCO, Brics and bilaterally," he said. Lavrov also spoke about bilateral visits and regular exchanges between him and Jaishankar.
"I'm not even asking what is going to happen to our trade relations or oil? I don't ask our Indian colleagues this. They are perfectly capable of making these decisions for themselves," he said.
To another question, Lavrov stressed ties between Russia and India is secure. "If the US has proposals on how to enrich bilateral trade between the US and India, they are prepared to discuss the terms for that, whatever terms the US might put forth," he said. "But when it comes to trade, investment, economic, military, technological and other relations between India and third states, it is something India will discuss only with those states in question," he added.
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