Relationship between India and Russia much deeper: S Jaishankar

Moscow: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Thursday, December28, that the relationship between India and Russia is not just about diplomacy or economics, it is something much deeper.

Jaishankar, who is here on a five-day official visit to Russia, made the remarks while interacting with indologists at St. Petersburg State University.

“The relationship between India and Russia is not just about politics, diplomacy, or economics. It is something much deeper,” he said, adding that the intelligentsia’s role and the contribution of scholars to this understanding and bonding are very important.

He said India and Russia are always trying to find new linkages and common points, and the intellectual world can make a difference. “We need to have a direct understanding of each other rather than other countries or societies deciding it,” he said.

“Today, when you look at India, we have an economy that is approaching 4 trillion dollars… You can see that our effort is to ensure that, in the next 25 years, we are successful and become a developed country. A developed country doesn’t just mean a developed economy; it is also a country that is aware, conscious, and proud of its traditions, heritage, and culture,” the minister added.

“I am pleased to interact with prominent indologists at St. Petersburg State University. The academic and intellectual worlds play a crucial role in nurturing our relationship. They shape societal sentiment in both countries. We discussed ways and means to deepen this aspect of our cooperation. I appreciated the initiatives and ideas proposed by the  indologists. Jaishankar posted on X.

On Wednesday, Jaishankar met President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow.

The ties between India and Russia remained strong, notwithstanding Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. India has not yet condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and it has been maintaining that the crisis must be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue.

India’s import of Russian crude oil has gone up significantly despite increasing disquiet over it in many Western countries.