Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov hailed Moscow’s relationship with India, saying it was “impossible to destroy", and promised to honor all its commitments on energy exports to New Delhi, despite what he described as unfair outside pressure.
Speaking to Russia Today before he visited India for the BRICS Summit, Lavrov recalled the history of India-Russia relationships back to the time of the Soviet Union, saying that both countries had established very strong personal relationships. “There is no one word to describe this relationship… It’s hard to imagine so rich a relationship as India and Russia drift apart," he said.
Lavrov stressed that Russian supplies to India would continue without disruption. “I can guarantee that India’s interests as they apply to Russian supplies will not suffer. We will do everything to ensure that this unfair and dishonest competition does not damage our agreements," he said.
Lavrov also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “one of the most vibrant leaders in the world." He also said India-Russia relations are facing a very important phase. In addition to agreements on economic and trade matters and plans prepared during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit last year, the two countries are expected to convene on a plan to develop strategic components of economic cooperation by 2030.
Jaishankar, Lavrov hold talksExternal Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held "productive" talks this week to advance bilateral cooperation in energy and trade amid shifting geopolitical tensions. In a social media post, the external affairs minister described his talks with his Russian counterpart as "a productive exchange of views". "Our conversation touched upon several aspects of the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership, including trade and investment, energy and connectivity, science and technology, as well as facilitating mobility of skills and talent," he said. |
