Despite the war of aggression against Ukraine, India remains loyal to Russia as a trading partner – primarily for its own interests. The country is now Russia’s second largest oil customer. Now Moscow and New Delhi apparently also want to join forces in terms of military technology.
According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Russia and India are considering joint production of modern armaments. According to the state agency TASS, Lavrov said after a meeting with Jaishankar in Moscow that he had spoken to the Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar about the prospects for military-technical cooperation. Which armaments could specifically be involved remained open.
It is the fifth meeting of the two ministers this year. With a view to aid for Ukraine, which was under attack from Russia, Lavrov accused Western countries of wanting to consolidate a “dominant role in world affairs” and “preventing the democratization of international relations” under the pretext of “Ukrainian events”. He therefore rates the position of the “Indian friends” on Ukraine highly, said Lavrov.
India is taking a neutral stance on Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine because it has close ties with the West and Russia. The country also does not support Western sanctions and is promoting conflict resolution through dialogue. Recently, India bought more relatively cheap oil from Russia. New Delhi is also heavily dependent on Moscow for its military equipment and spare parts. According to Lavrov, Russia and India also want to work more closely together in the field of nuclear energy and space travel.
India’s Foreign Minister Jaishankar stressed that his country intends to continue buying oil from Russia. “As the third-largest oil and gas consumer and not a very high-income country, we need to look for affordable sources.” The government must ensure that consumers have the best possible access to the international oil and gas markets on the most favorable terms. “In that regard, we have seen that the relationship between India and Russia has proven itself, so if it works to my advantage, I would continue that.”
India has become Russia’s largest oil customer after China. Its refineries buy cheap oil, which Western buyers are no longer buying because of sanctions against Russia following the war in Ukraine. Overall, India is the third largest oil importer in the world and a traditional ally of Russia.
