New Delhi: – US Deputy National Security Advisor Daleep Singh and British Foreign Minister Liz Truss paid a visit to India just before Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Reports of India planning to increase fuel purchases from Russia and the transactions will be in Rouble-INR currencies to bypass the sanctions imposed by the United States are being received. The United States has issued a direct warning to India over the issue. Daleep Singh warned that there would be consequences if India went ahead with the transactions. Although the British Prime Minister did not make such aggressive statements, she indicated that the United Kingdom was upset with these transactions.
India has started fuel purchases from Russia. These transactions do not fall within the purview of the US sanctions. But the United States expects that its allies and partner countries should not increase economic cooperation with Russia. Therefore, Daleep Singh issued a direct warning that India should not purchase fuel from Russia and should not get into Rouble-INR transactions as this would entail serious consequences. Daleep Singh, referring to the dispute on the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, also made suggestive statements that Russia, the junior partner of China, will not help India in the border dispute.
This is an indirect warning issued by Daleep Singh to forget about the US assistance in the border dispute if India continues to increase cooperation with Russia. Over the last few days, India has been purchasing fuel at concessional rates from Russia and the transactions are on the rise. It is claimed that to avoid the effects of the US sanctions. The two countries are negotiating transactions in Ruble-INR. The United States is taking serious cognisance of this and the threats issued by Daleep Singh indicate the same thing.
British Foreign Minister Liz Truss also is on a visit to India and she too pointed out the severe consequences in a milder language. Some news agencies claimed that the visits of Daleep Singh and Liz Truss had a common agenda.
Transacting in USD will not be possible for Russia, given the US sanctions against Russia. But discussions are rife on the international level that although Russia will get cornered with the sanctions, the United States also will take a significant hit in the process. Geetha Gopinath of the International Monetary Fund has warned that these sanctions will reduce the importance of the USD as the international currency. Renowned economists and investors also point out this threat to the Biden administration. The Biden administration continues with the economic policies dangerous for the United States and expects countries like India to follow the same policies.
The Biden administration has made more aggressive preparations to pressurise India with this warning of serious consequences and India will soon have to clarify its stand in the matter. The United States is also trying to increase pressure on India using its allies. The United States and even Australia said that it is disappointing that the Russian Foreign Minister is visiting India while the war is going on in Ukraine. Through this, the Biden administration points out that India stands to lose a lot for cooperating with Russia.
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