Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has called the “enormous pressure” on New Delhi because of its energy cooperation with Moscow “completely unjustified,” arguing that India is a big country that chooses its partners and defines its national interests.
Lavrov also called Ukraine’s comments about the recent meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Moscow “insulting” during a press conference held here on Wednesday.
“I believe that India is a powerful nation that picks its own partners and establishes its own national objectives. And we are aware that India is facing tremendous pressure in the international arena—pressure that is wholly unwarranted,” Lavrov stated.
Lavrov was answering a query concerning Prime Minister Modi’s most recent trip to Moscow and the criticism India has received for its energy partnership with Russia. Lavrov is in New York to chair meetings of the United Nations Security Council, which is being presided over by Russia for the month of July.
At the request of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Modi traveled to Russia for the 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit on July 8–9. Modi visited Russia for the first time since the situation in Ukraine began.
India has continuously advocated for a diplomatic and dialogue-based settlement of the crisis and has not yet denounced Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Modi’s trip to Moscow has also drawn criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who wrote on X that “A Russian missile struck the largest children’s hospital in Ukraine, targeting young cancer patients.” Numerous people were buried beneath the debris.
“It is a huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the world’s largest democracy hug the world’s most bloody criminal in Moscow on such a day,” Zelenskyy had remarked on the meeting between Modi and Putin
India had expressed its disapproval of the comments to Kyiv. It was reported that Ukraine’s envoy in Delhi was informed of India’s displeasure with Zelenskyy’s remarks.
Zelenskyy’s remarks that Modi’s visit to Russia was “a stabbing in the back of all peace efforts” were cited by Lavrov as “so that was very insulting and the Ukrainian ambassador was called in” and the Indian Ministry of External Affairs “talked to him about how he should be behaving.”
After hearing several other Ukrainian envoys say, “The ambassadors were really behaving as if they were hooligans,” he said.
“So I think India is doing everything right,” he stated. After visiting Western countries, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar responded to inquiries, including one regarding why India was increasing its oil purchases from Russia, according to Lavrov. According to Lavrov, Jaishankar provided data indicating that the West has likewise increased its purchases of Russian oil and gas.
Lavrov stated that Jaishankar “went on to say that India will decide for itself how to trade with whom and how to defend its national interests.”
However, the West’s disapproval of nations like China and India demonstrates their ignorance, their incapacity to engage in diplomatic relations, and the shortcomings of political analysts. You may want for it, but speaking in this manner to these powerful Asian nations is truly beneath them. It is truly disrespectful of them to act in this manner toward any and all nations, but especially when they are addressing these two giants, these two superpowers.”
Regarding India’s purchases of oil from Russia, Jaishankar previously stated that it is his responsibility to prioritize the interests of the Indian people in order to prevent them from bearing the financial burden of decisions made by other nations or regions regarding food, fertilizer, etc. “It’s not just that we buy oil from one country. We buy oil from multiple sources, but it is a sensible policy to go where we get the best deal in the interests of the Indian people and that is exactly what we are trying to do,” Jaishankar earlier stated.
