External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar defended India's relationship with Moscow, calling it a valuable and seasoned partner that enjoys a mutually beneficial relationship based on strategic convergence and geopolitical interests and realities, amidst ongoing efforts by the West to contain Russia in Ukraine. During their bilateral meeting in Moscow, Jaishankar and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov talked about measures to strengthen defence cooperation and expand energy connections by producing military hardware together. While talking on regional and international issues, they also emphasised the situation in Gaza and Ukraine.
In what was their 7th meeting this year, Lavrov reiterated Russia’s support to India’s candidature for permanent membership of the Security Council, while lauding India’s G20 presidency for not allowing the joint communique to be biased or one-sided. Lavrov emphasised the strategic importance of energy ties, pointing out that India has become one of the biggest importers of Russian fuels. He also mentioned that he and Jaishankar had reached an agreement on increasing hydrocarbon exports to the Indian market and collaborating on peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
India and China remain the only two major powers to have never explicitly condemned Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. Jaishankar said after his meeting with Lavrov that PM Modi will have his annual summit with Putin next year. The summit couldn’t take place in 2022 and 2023, as Putin remained focused on the war in Ukraine and India was engaged in hosting the G20 summit. “We discussed the prospects of military and technical cooperation, including the joint production of modern weaponry. Our cooperation is of strategic nature and strengthening it corresponds to the national interests of states, and to the interest of security in the Eurasian continent,” said Lavrov.