New Delhi: In the follow up of Prime Minister Modi’s Russia visit on the 8-9 July, Charge d’ Affairs of Russia in India, Roman Babushkin addressing media called the visit ‘historic and game changing’. He said that the world was watching it and it was a significant event between “two independent global powers.”
Indian recruits in Russian army
Of India’s immediate concern about Indian nationals who landed up in the Russian army against its fight against Ukraine, Babushkin said, ‘the Russian army doesn’t need Indians. Most of them are there for commercial purposes. As per information with us they have been cheated by agents who were involved in criminal activities and have been brought through illegal channels. Some of them have come through student or tourist visa route which makes their stay illegal through contractual route.’
He said, ‘that Russian Embassy is collaborating with India to address nationals misled into Army Service. We are on the same page as the Indian government on this particular issue.’
Some 50 Indians are said to have been in Russia recruited by Russian army out of which MEA confirmed that 10 of them have returned and that all efforts are being made to bring the rest back with the help of Russian government.
Economic Ties
On the key outcome of the meeting between two leaders, Babushkin emphasized the decision to establish a bilateral payment system using national currencies, digital mechanism and SWIFT which aimed to enhance economic ties. He said, ‘India and Russia have decided to establish a system for national currency settlement’.
He said, ‘India has grown many times in the past two years especially because of the trade in energy that rapidly expanded after Western sanctions were imposed on Russia.’ ‘Russia is the fourth largest trading partner of India and we have a very optimistic scenario that we will continue our successful and mutually beneficial partnership with India.’ India and Russia agreed to increase bilateral trade to $100 billion dollars by 2030, including the use of national currencies to circumvent Western sanctions.
NATO & China
Slamming the Western powers for supporting Ukraine, he called the recently concluded peace conference in Switzerland as ‘tamasha’. He also noted that Russia’s friendship with China should not be a cause of concern for India.
He said that Russia’s friendly ties with China was part of the Russian policy to serve its national interests. Whereas the West had been urging the international community to de-couple from Chinese products and services while actually purchasing Chinese products, he added.
He said, ‘External factors don’t play much of a role when it comes to India Russia relations.’
Ukraine angle
Babushkin hit out at the West saying that the NATO Summit is not for peace but the main idea is how to supply more weapons to Ukraine and that the crisis is not between Russia and Ukraine, it is a crisis between Russia and the West, which is using Ukraine as an “arm” against Russia.
Mr. Babushkin said peace in Ukraine was not possible without including the Russian formula into the final draft. The Russian formula, he argued, wanted Ukraine to remain neutral and non-aligned and that Kyiv had to commit for non-deployment of foreign weapons on Ukrainian territory.
“Multipolarity is a matter of fact and it is something that the US and others do not like. They promote a unipolar world, in the sense they conducted the NATO summit not for peace but the main idea is how to supply more weapons to Ukraine and defeat Russia. They don’t care about peace to prevail in Ukraine. This is a crisis of identity for NATO. They need some targets otherwise they are unable to mobilise their supporters,” added Babushkin.
On the comment made by Ukrainian President Zelensky on PM Modi’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Russian Charge D’ Affaires Babushkin refuted saying, “The statement comes against the backdrop of the missile attack against the children’s hospital in Ukraine. They usually put all the blame on Russia and present one side of the situation. However, it was not a Russian missile but a Ukrainian anti-missile provided by Norway. While we were targeting the military infrastructure, the Ukrainian anti-missile just lost the course. Another aspect is that they are deploying this infrastructure in populated areas in violation of international humanitarian law…Zelenskyy is the president of war. He keeps getting support from the West”.
India’s balancing act with US & Russia
On how does Russia assess India when it is being increasingly felt that India is doing balancing act with both US and Russia particularly in the context of the long standing age old Russia India relations, Babushkin spoke……..
For the message to be sent out to the world, Babushkin emphasized, ‘Despite many attempts to derail our legitimate cooperation, we will continue. Multipolarity is a matter of fact since both leaders have implemented the full right to independent foreign policy and sovereignty’.
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