Lavrov praises “Indian friends”
Russia is considering arms production with India

11/08/2022 17:19

Despite the war of aggression against Ukraine, India has remained loyal to Russia as a trading partner – primarily in its own interests. The country is now Russia’s second largest oil customer. Now Moscow and New Delhi also seem to want to join forces in terms of military technology.

According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Russia and India are considering joint production of modern weapons. According to state agency TASS, Lavrov said after a meeting with Jaishankar in Moscow that he had spoken with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar about prospects for military-technical cooperation. Which armaments can specifically be engaged remains unlocked.

This is the fifth meeting of the two ministers this year. With a view to helping Ukraine, which was under attack from Russia, Lavrov accused Western countries of wanting to consolidate its “dominant role in world affairs” and “prevent the democratization of international relations” under the pretext of “Ukraine events”. Therefore, he values ​​the position of “friends of India” in Ukraine very highly, Lavrov said.

India takes a neutral stance in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine due to its close ties to the West and Russia. It also does not support Western sanctions and promotes conflict resolution through dialogue. Recently, India is buying more relatively cheap oil from Russia. New Delhi also relies heavily on Moscow for its military equipment and spare parts. According to Lavrov, Russia and India also want to cooperate more closely in the fields of nuclear energy and space travel.

India-Russia relations ‘proven’

Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar stressed that his country intends to continue buying oil from Russia. “As the third-largest consumer of oil and gas and not a very high-income country, we need to find affordable sources.” Governments must ensure that consumers have the best access to international oil and gas markets on the most favorable terms. “In that sense, we have seen that the relationship between India and Russia has proven itself, so if it is in my favor, I will continue.”

India has become Russia’s biggest oil customer after China. Its refineries buy cheap oil, which Western buyers no longer buy because of sanctions against Russia after the war in Ukraine. Overall, India is the world’s third largest oil importer and a traditional ally of Russia.