S Jaishankar: The external affairs minister noted that the trend has changed over the past 10-15 years.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar reaffirmed India’s defense and trade cooperation with Russia, highlighting that the West has consistently favored Pakistan over India in terms of supplying arms. “Traditionally, many Western countries have shown a preference for supplying arms to Pakistan rather than India. However, this trend has shifted over the past 10 to 15 years. For instance, the USA, among others, has altered its stance. Consequently, our procurement patterns have diversified, with the USA, Russia, France, and Israel emerging as our primary suppliers,” stated the External Affairs Minister.
Jaishankar, currently in Munich for the Munich Security Conference, was addressing Handelsblatt, a prominent German economic daily. The foreign minister also emphasized the importance of Europe understanding that India’s perspective on Russia may not align exactly with Europe’s views on Moscow. “My argument is this: just as I don’t anticipate Europe to share my exact perspective on China, Europe needs to understand that my view of Russia won’t necessarily mirror theirs. Let’s acknowledge the natural differences in our relationships,” he remarked.
Jaishankar’s statement on the India-Russia relationship comes at a significant juncture, coinciding with the approaching two-year mark of the Russia-Ukraine war on February 24th. Amidst Western sanctions against Moscow, New Delhi has faced scrutiny for its ongoing oil purchases and its consistent abstentions from voting on resolutions targeting Russia in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
The tragic demise of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny in prison has also prevented the Western alliance from issuing new criticism of Vladimir Putin.
Ratnavali