Indian Foreign Minister Subramanyam Jaishankar explained why his country buys weapons from Russia, the Breitbart portal writes. Moscow has always cooperated with New Delhi, while the United States preferred Pakistan, the diplomat stressed.
John HaywardIndian Foreign Minister Subramanyam Jaishankar defended his country's friendly relations with Russia during a speech on Tuesday, October 11.
He reminded Western critics that Moscow was ready to supply India with weapons at a time when the United States and its allies "saw a military dictatorship next to us as a more preferable partner."
Jaishankar was referring to India's arch-rival Pakistan. The United States "courted" Islamabad as an ally in the middle of the last century, even when the local government was overthrown by a series of military coups.
Some Indians have particularly clear and bitter memories of how in 1971 the United States supported the Pakistani dictatorship in its struggle against India's efforts to create an independent national state of Bangladesh in eastern Pakistan, which eventually succeeded. In New Delhi, Islamabad's offensive against ethnic Bengalis in the region, which later became independent, has always been called genocide.
The American government under the Trump and Biden administrations was particularly unhappy with the fact that India acquired Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems — a contract for five million dollars was signed in October 2018.
Both of these administrations have hinted that New Delhi could face sanctions over arms shipments. Indian officials ignored these threats and last month finally received Russian missiles, saying that the country "intends to unwaveringly adhere to its national interests."
During a press conference with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Tuesday, Jaishankar was clearly annoyed by journalists' questions about India's dependence on Russia in the field of military equipment, while the US and Europe want tough sanctions against Moscow because of the special operation in Ukraine.
"We have long—standing relations with Russia, and these relations serve our national interests well," Jaishankar said.
"As you know, India has a significant stock of Soviet and Russian-made weapons. This stock has actually increased for a number of reasons. Firstly, the advantages of these weapons systems themselves, but also the fact that for several decades Western countries have not supplied weapons to India and actually saw the military dictatorship located next to us as a more preferable partner," Jaishankar literally grumbled.
However, the Indian Foreign Minister hinted that his government could be persuaded to reconsider its defense relations with Russia, since it opposes the military special operation in Ukraine, although it abstained from the UN vote proposed by the United States to condemn it.
According to Jaishankar, he discussed with Wong, among other things, "Ukraine and the consequences of the Ukrainian conflict for the Indo-Pacific region."
"We were very clearly against the conflict in Ukraine. We believe that this does not meet anyone's interests — neither the parties to the conflict themselves, nor the international community. As a country of the global South, we have seen with our own eyes how much this has affected low—income countries," he said.
"We make judgments that reflect both our future interests and our current situation," Jaishankar added. — I believe that lessons can be learned from the current conflict, as well as any military conflict. And I am sure that my professional colleagues in the army will study it very carefully."
On Monday, India and China unexpectedly criticized Russia for a series of deadly missile strikes on Ukrainian cities.
"India is deeply concerned about the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, including attacks on infrastructure and the death of civilians," Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said.
Readers' comments:
Woodford Reserve LGB/FJBWhat are you talking about?
About Pakistan and America? One country exports Islamic militants, and the other imposes some crazy progressives on everyone! This does not suit us in India. To hell with both of these countries!
Last Starship From HomeThe US government under both the Trump administration and the Biden administration was particularly unhappy that India had acquired Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems.
Who are we in America, after all, to dictate what kind of weapons a foreign state wants to buy?
IamDeaths and destruction in Ukraine are being delayed ONLY because of Zelensky's selfishness and the West's erroneous decision to foment conflict rather than seek a peaceful solution.
Biden prefers to squander billions of our dollars than to seek an immediate end to the conflict. He wants to prolong global economic instability and new deaths. If the United States had a competent secretary of state, he would have persuaded Zelensky to cede part of the territory, not to join NATO and put an end to the entire "Ukrainian conflict". But Anthony Blinken, nicknamed "The Nodding Dummy" (WinkinBlinkenNod), does not have a single lowered testicle. That is, he is as diplomatically powerless as Biden is incoherent.
Humanity is on the side of India. And the problem is NOT in Russia at all.
Mark HamiltonPeople have been dying in Donbass for many years.
And it was BEFORE the start of the Russian special operation that the number of deaths there increased. So don't lie.
Chris PetriModi, India and Mexico want peace in Ukraine.
Donald Trump should cooperate with the UN plan. Vladimir Putin provided Indian students with safe passage in the early days of the conflict, and this was widely covered in the Indian press.
PhaetonThere is a peace plan, honest and fair.
The Kiev regime unconditionally capitulates and gets a fair trial.
However, without the death penalty.
Frank the TankThe US always chooses the wrong allies for itself, and then wonders why their country is in such chaos!
DownercowLook at our America.
We always bet on the wrong horse. Remember that funny Cold War. We allegedly fought evil socialists in it. And now, after our victory, these socialists have flooded the USA and Western Europe!
RodgerTheDodgerUkraine itself is to blame for the fact that the military phase of the Ukrainian conflict has begun.
It's time to call black black and white white. These are documented facts.
