NEW DELHI: Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said there’s no threat to India-Russia economic partnership from the strain in India-US ties and complimented India for showing “self-respect” by not buckling under external pressure in securing its energy interests.Speaking after a meeting with his counterpart S Jaishankar on the margins of the UNGA, he said Russia fully respects India’s national interests and the “independent foreign policy” that PM Narendra Modi is pursuing, while also stressing 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.Lavrov was responding to questions on India’s continued imports of Russian oil despite pressure from the US.”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 response,” he said, adding that it shows that India, like Turkiye, has “self-respect”.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. Go to Source
