India’s External Affairs minister S Jaishankar said on Monday, October 10, 2022, that the Indian inventory of Russian-origin weaponry has grown since the West refused to give India arms for decades. The External Affairs Minister, who is on a visit to Australia, stated that New Delhi and Moscow have a long-standing partnership that has served Indian interests well.
“We have a long-standing relationship with Russia, and this relationship has served our interests well. We have a substantial inventory of Soviet and Russian-origin weapons,” news agency ANI quoted Jaishankar as saying at a press conference in Canberra, Australia.
Referring to Pakistan, the EAM added that Western countries preferred a military dictatorship next to India as a preferred partner.
#WATCH | The inventory of Soviet & Russian-origin weapons grew for various reasons incl the West not supplying weapons to India for decades & in fact seeing the military dictatorship next to us as preferred partner: EAM Dr S Jaishankar at Canberra, Australia pic.twitter.com/DptFRqcaKM
— ANI (@ANI) October 10, 2022
“In International politics, we make judgments which are reflective of our future interests and current situation,” said Jaishankar hitting out at the West that has condemned India for maintaining close relations with Russia, which is fighting a war against its neighbour Ukraine under Vladimir Putin’s leadership.
However, reiterating India’s stance against the aggression in Ukraine, Jaishankar said, “We have been very clearly against the conflict in Ukraine. We believe that this conflict does not serve the interest of anybody- neither the participants nor the international community.”
Ever since Russia started its “special military operation” inside Ukraine, Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar has been facing questions on the Indian stand on the conflict on every occasion. Despite making the Indian stand in favor of peace in the region clear on every such occasion, the questions on the conflict continue to follow the Indian EAM.
Dr. Jaishankar has frequently said in response to audience questions about Ukraine that India has a very clear stance on the issue there that prioritises an immediate end to hostilities and a return to diplomacy and engagement. Jaishankar has, in fcat, also exposed the hypocrisy of the West when it comes to defending the rules-based order in the rest of the world.
Notably, as far as India’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict goes, India is walking a tightrope in its relations with the Kremlin, as well as with the latter’s military and energy industries, while yet maintaining its position as America’s top ally in Southeast Asia.
While the west has been criticising India for being soft on Russia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also made it clear to Russian President Vladimir Putin that there was an urgent need to establish global peace and end the conflict in Ukraine.
“Today’s era is not of war and I have spoken to you about it on the call. Today we will get the opportunity to talk about how we can progress on the path of peace. India and Russia have stayed together with each other for several decades,” the Indian Prime Minister told the Russian President.
Modi made the remarks during a bilateral meeting with Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Summit (SCO) in Samarkand in Uzbekistan on September 16.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin had acknowledged the concerns raised by the Indian Prime Minister. “I know about your position on the Ukraine conflict. I know about your concerns. We want all of this to end as soon as possible. But the other party, the leadership of Ukraine has claimed… that they refuse to engage in the negotiation process,” Putin had responded.
