India, Russia Are Good Friends & Loyal Partners: Lavrov After Meeting Jaishankar
Mumbai: After meeting External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Delhi, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, “Indian foreign policies are characterised by independence and the concentration on real national legitimate interests.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who is on a two-day visit to India, held talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at Hyderabad House in the national capital on Friday.
Referring to the Ukraine-Russia conflict in his inaugural address, Jaishankar said India was in favour of resolving differences and disputes through dialogue and diplomacy.
“We have diversified our cooperation by expanding our agenda. Our meeting today is taking place in a difficult international environment apart from the pandemic,” the foreign minister said.
“As you know, India has always been in favour of resolving differences and disputes through dialogue and diplomacy. In our meeting today, we will get an opportunity to discuss the contemporary issues and concerns in some detail,” he said.
Lavrov, on his part, said that strengthening ties with India has been a key priority of Russian foreign policy.
The Russian Foreign Minister further said that relations between India and Russia were “very durable” during several “difficult times” in the past and he had no doubts about continued cooperation. “We are interested in creating a balanced world order that makes it sustainable,” he said.
“These days our Western allies want to reduce any meaningful international issue to the crisis in Ukraine…we fight for nothing and we appreciate that India is taking this situation to the fullest, not just One-sided only,” he added.
Lavrov further said that India and Russia are developing a strategic partnership and “this has been our priority.” “We are certainly interested in balancing the world order. We have intensified our bilateral context. Our President has sent his best regards to PM Modi,” he said.
Asked how Russia can support India in terms of security challenges, Lavrov said the talks characterize the relationship that Moscow has developed with New Delhi over several decades.
“Relationships are strategic partnerships… that was the basis on which we are promoting our cooperation in all fields,” he said.
“I believe that Indian foreign policies are characterised by independence and the concentration on real national legitimate interests. The same policy is based in the Russian Federation and this makes us, as big countries, good friends and loyal partners,” he added.
Talking about the conflict with Ukraine, the Russian foreign minister said Moscow has not initiated war rather it’s carrying out a special operation to demilitarise Kyiv. “You called it a war which is not true. It is a special operation, military infrastructure is being targeted. The aim is to deprive the Kyiv regime of building the capacity to present any threat to Russia,” Lavrov said.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Lavrov, who arrived in India on Thursday, is also expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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