Russia’s acting Ambassador said the latest sanctions placed on Russia will not impede the delivery of the S-400 missile system and other defense equipment India has purchased, praising India’s “independent” stance at the Security Council on its activities in eastern Ukraine. He also stated that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s current visit to Moscow would have no bearing on India-Russia relations, that the Pakistan-Russia partnership does not currently envision a defense relationship, and that Russia remains firm in its position that Kashmir is a bilateral dispute.
The diplomat stated the Russian position behind the recognition of two eastern Ukrainian enclaves, Donetsk and Luhansk, a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the move, which has sparked worldwide outrage and drawn punitive financial sanctions and harsh condemnation from the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Australia.
T.S. Tirumurti, the United Nations Permanent Representative to the United Nations, expressed “grave worry” about the developments in the region in the Security Council, but stopped short of criticizing Russian activities. “Russia welcomes India’s perspective on Ukraine, which it has voiced multiple times,” said Roman Babushkin, Charge d’Affaires of the Russian Embassy in Delhi. “India is behaving in accordance with its standing as a global power, taking a balanced and independent position,” he said.
He said that the two nations had discussed the problem at numerous bilateral and international levels, including at the United Nations, and that “Indian partners are well aware and completely understand why this [Mr. Putin’s declaration] occurred.” Mr. Babushkin went so far as to say that Russia expects that its friends and partners, “including India,” will recognize the “new republics” of Donetsk and Luhansk in the future.
Russia was sanctioned by the USA
According to the Russian diplomat, the United States’ new financial restrictions, which are in addition to earlier sanctions such as the CAATSA law, will have no impact on the $5 billion S-400 missile system deal with India. “The project is being carried out in accordance with our agreements and timetables, and fines would have no impact.”
Mr. Khan landed in Moscow for a two-day visit that had been announced previously and is scheduled to meet with Mr. Putin on Thursday to discuss economic and energy connections as well as regional developments. Mr. Babushkin said that India has not expressed any worries about Mr. Khan’s visit, which is the first by a Pakistani Prime Minister in 23 years.
Mr. Khan slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration in an interview with a Moscow television channel this week, accusing the ruling party of having a “racist” mentality toward minorities and condemning the government’s actions in Jammu and Kashmir.
“We have separate relations with Pakistan, with a bilateral and commercial agenda, and we have shared venues, such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization” (SCO). Mr. Babushkin told The Hindu that “we believe there will be talks on Afghanistan as well.” “However, we do not anticipate the announcement of defense deals, and our position on Kashmir remains intact.”