Close cooperation between India and Russia will continue: Sergei Lavrov

Moscow: The United States is threatening to impose sanctions on India to purchase the S-400 air defence system from Russia. These US warnings and threats become significant, while Joe Biden is very close to taking over the reins of the United States. Without paying any heed to the US warnings, India has made preparations to send a military unit for being trained on the Air Defence System. Following this development, the outlook of the Russian Foreign Minister, who had criticised that India is becoming a puppet of the western countries, seems to have changed. Lavrov said that the closeness in the India-Russia relations would continue, even in the future.

Nikolay Kudashev, the Russian Ambassador to India, informed that the unit of the Indian military would soon be heading to Russia for the necessary training on the S-400 air defence system. Whereas, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov asserted that India is the closest ally of Russia. Only last month, the Russian Foreign Minister had fired a salvo of criticism at India. India, the United States, Japan, and Australia have formed the QUAD cooperation for the Indo-Pacific sector’s stability and security. Lavrov had accused that this cooperation has been formed with the sole objective of stopping China. Lavrov also accused that India has become a part of the anti-China tactics of the western countries. Angry reactions had emanated from India on the criticism by Lavrov that India had become a puppet in the hands of the western countries.

It is natural that India has taken a stand against China after the Chinese act of betrayal, in the Galwan valley, martyring 20 Indian soldiers. As per Indian analysts, the Russian Foreign Minister’s criticism, without taking into account the threats posed by China to Indian security, becomes irresponsible behaviour. Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar had replied to the criticism made by his Russian counterpart. The Russian Foreign Minister had clarified that there were major discussions on my statements in India. I do not want misunderstanding of any kind in this matter. India is the closest Russian ally and a strategic partner.

Lavrov underlined the importance of India for Russia saying that India and Russia are cooperating with each other in economic, research, military and technology sectors. At the same time, Lavrov added that Russia wishes that there should be no differences between the two Russia allies India and China. Lavrov also said that Russia hopes that both the countries should co-exist in peace. The Russian Foreign Minister said that India-Russia relations and Russia-China relations are independent of each other and will not affect each other.

Meanwhile, analysts have started saying that while Biden is taking over the reins of the United States, the United States will distance itself from Trump’s foreign policies. Trump had adopted a very aggressive stance against China, but as per analysts, Biden will have a softer policy regarding China and will castigate Russia. The threats to impose sanctions issued by the United States, against India, over the India-Russia S-400 deal, are pointing to the same thing.

All the world countries have started making necessary adjustments to their policies, assessing Biden’s policies. Russia too is strengthening its cooperation with its allies thinking of Biden’s foreign policy. This will make India-Russia relations very important. The statements of the Russian Foreign Minister has this backdrop.