Russia told India special but expressed concern on one front

Amid speculation of increasing distance in relations between India and Russia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavroff said on Monday that India is very special for Russia.

Sergei Lavrov said these things in the annual press conference on how the last year was 2020.

The Russian Foreign Minister was asked by an Indian journalist how do you see the spread of relations between India and Russia in the changing global situation? Especially when there is a danger of imposing sanctions from some countries regarding the defense relations between Russia and India. These include India's S-400 deal with Russia.

In response to this question, the Russian Foreign Minister said, "The partnership between India and Russia is very wide. You can also call it a strategic partnership. Our strategic partnership was called a special strategic partnership after Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power. Russia and India have a very special relationship. India is very close to Russia. Is very strategic. Whether you look at it at the level of economy, at the level of innovation, Hitech, or the level of military technology. ''

"We are all very close on the front. India is one of our closest partners. There is close political coordination between us. Whether it is within the United Nations or at the BRICS level. We have done a lot together on these forums. India and Pakistan are also in Shanghai Co-Operation Corporation. We work together across the continent through these forums. It is widely known as Asia-Pacific. Dialogue between the two countries takes place from the minister's level to the President's and Prime Minister's level.

Sergey Lavrov said, "We talk very openly among ourselves." We also talk about many ideas with political issues. They also include the Indo-Pacific strategy. We do not rely only on terminological changes. If you go only based on term, Indo means the entire Indian Ocean. But East Africa, Persian Gulf are also included in the Indo Pacific. ''

"But the interpretation of Indo Pacific in the US-sponsored concept is something else." The quad group comprises UAS, Australia, Japan, and India. It has been described by Mike Pompeo as the most important for independent movement in the Indo-Pacific region. We have reason to believe that Australia, Japan, and America are pushing this format forward. In this format, they are openly saying that it is for stability in the South China Sea and to stop China.

The Russian Foreign Minister said, "I have spoken to my good friend and India's Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar on this. In India, I have also talked to my colleagues about this. They understand that the Indo-Pacific strategy of America is not inclusive. This strategy is going to increase conflict. This aggression is a matter of concern in the Indo-Pacific. They are rejecting the central role of ASEAN countries. ''

"I know that the discussion on this issue is very loud in India." I know that if India is not involved in that strategy of Indo-Pacific of America, then it will not be positive and constructive. My earlier statement on this had become a topic of discussion in India. Especially in India, it was discussed more in the media whose relationship with the government is not very friendly.

The Russian Foreign Minister said, "I want to make clear that there should be no confusion about this among the people of India." We are friends of India. We are trying to keep both India and China, who are our good friends and brothers, at peace with each other. This is our policy. We are not only promoting it in SCO and BRICS but we are also working on it in a special three-tier format. This format is Troika-RIC (Russia, India, China). It came into existence in the 90s and is continuing. ''

Earlier in the first week of December last year, the Russian Foreign Minister called India a pawn in the 'persistent, aggressive and deceitful' policy of Western countries against China. Then the Russian Foreign Minister said this in the meeting of the Russian International Affairs Council.

Sergei Lavrov had said, "The West wants to restore the unipolar world. But Russia and China are less likely to be subordinated to it. But, India is still a pawn of the anti-China policy of Western countries like the so-called Quad in the Indo-Pacific region." Made up. "

The Russian Minister also said there that the Western countries also want to undermine Russia's close relations with India.

Why the speculation of increased distance in both countries?

In Russia and India, speculation of increasing the distance between countries was further intensified when the annual meeting between Russia and India was postponed for the first time after two decades. There was a lot of excitement about this, but both countries had given the reason for the Covid 19 epidemic.

Putin became the President of Russia in May 2000 and since then this annual meeting is being held between India and Russia. This is the first time the annual meeting has been postponed. On the other hand, there is also talk of the increasing poverty of Russia and Pakistan. In recent times, there has been a close increase between Russia and Pakistan. In the first week of November last year, soldiers of Russian soldiers came to Pakistan for military exercises.