Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, praised India for demonstrating "self respect" by refusing to give in to outside pressure to protect its energy interests and stated that the tension in India US relations does not pose a threat to the India Russia economic alliance.
He emphasised that India and Russia have a "particularly privileged strategic partnership" and that Russia fully respects India's national interests and the "independent foreign policy" that PM Narendra Modi is pursuing after meeting with his counterpart S Jaishankar on the sidelines of the UNGA."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 told the press.
Ahead of the India Russia annual summit in December, the minister is scheduled to visit India.
"We have full respect for the national interests of India, full respect for the foreign policy, Narendra Modi is carrying out to promote these national interests," he added.
Lavrov was answering enquiries on India's persistence in importing Russian oil in face of US pressure.
"This relationship is not in danger.
Additionally, the Indian prime minister and foreign affairs minister have made it clear that India choose its own partners if someone engages in such behaviour," he said.
Jaishankar was reported by Lavrov 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 added, adding that it demonstrates similar "self respect" in Turkiye and India.
Lavrov added that Russian President Vladimir Putin is probably going to come to India for the yearly meeting in December.
"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 stated.
