S Jaishankar said that Russia has never harmed our interests.
Munich:
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reaffirmed India’s stance on buying Russian oil despite sanctions on Moscow amid its military conflict with Ukraine. He said India and Russia have always shared “stable and friendly relations” and Moscow has never harmed New Delhi’s interests.
In an interview with German economic daily Handelsblatt during his visit to Germany for the Munich Security Conference, Mr Jaishankar said Europe should understand that India may not have the same European view of Russia.
Asked about India buying Russian oil, Mr Jaishankar said, “Everyone has a relationship based on their past experiences. If I look at India’s history after independence, Russia has never harmed our interests.” Has not been delivered.”
“Everyone has seen ups and downs in the relations of powers like Europe, America, China or Japan with Russia. Our relations with Russia have always been stable and very friendly. And today our relations with Russia are based on this experience. ” For others, things were different, and conflicts may have shaped the relationship. On the other hand, for example, we had a much more difficult relationship politically and militarily with China.”
Asked whether India would like support from Europe during the border conflict with China in 2020, he said, “Just as I don’t expect Europe to have the same view of China as I do, Europe needs to understand that. I can’t have that view about China.” Russia is just like Europe. Let’s accept that there are natural differences in relationships.”
He said that India and Europe have talked about their stand and have not emphasized their differences. He said that after the war broke out between Russia and Ukraine, Europe shifted a large part of its energy purchases to the Middle East, which till then was the main supplier of energy to India and other countries.
Asked whether differences regarding Russia have affected India-Europe relations, the External Affairs Minister said, “Both sides have clearly stated their positions and have not emphasized their differences. But yes, differences You mentioned the energy issue. When the fighting started in Ukraine, Europe shifted a large part of its energy purchases to the Middle East – by then it was the main supplier to India and other countries.
“What should we have done? In many cases, our Middle East suppliers preferred Europe because Europe paid higher prices. Either we would not have had the energy because everything would have gone to them. Or we would have had to pay too much because You were paying more. And in a certain way, we stabilized the energy market that way,” he said.
Speaking to Handelsblatt, Mr Jaishankar reiterated his call for reforms at the UN. He said that countries blocking reform in the United Nations are denying the changes taking place in recent decades. He said that the international system collapsed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Asked how the current blockade could be resolved, he replied, “Countries blocking reform are denying the changes that have taken place in recent decades. The real issue is: how do we refresh the international order , how do we renew and reform it and its institutions? There is no point in saying to international institutions: “Do their job better” if they are not able to do so. Look at how historically major problems such as The international system collapsed during COVID. It is in every country’s best interest to act.”
Mr Jaishankar said there was some cooperation among nations during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, he said that most countries did not help each other. He highlighted the need to change the international system. He said that climate protection needs to be taken more seriously.
He said, “It was good, there was some cooperation, but most countries did not help each other. If we are leaving out large parts of the world, we urgently need to change the international system. Even today, many “Many countries are angry that they received vaccines so late that they have been banned from entering, seriously undermining their economic growth.”
Recently, Mr Jaishankar traveled to Germany to attend the Munich Security Conference. Speaking at a panel discussion with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, Jaishankar said it is difficult to have a one-dimensional relationship in the contemporary world.
He said, “Is it a problem, why should it be a problem? If I’m so smart that I have many choices, you should praise me. Is it a problem for others? I don’t think so, Suddenly in this case we try to explain what are the different pulls and pressures between countries. It is very difficult to have that one-dimensional relationship,” Mr Jaishankar said.
Mr Jaishankar said different countries have different histories and gave the example of relations between the US and Germany.
Mr Jaishankar said, “Different countries and different relationships have different histories. If I want to look at the US and Germany, it is inherent. There is an alliance in it, there is a nature to it. There is a certain history. On which that relationship is based.” In our case it is very different, so I don’t want you to even inadvertently give the impression that we are conducting a completely unemotional transaction.”
“We don’t, we get along with people, we believe in things, we share things, and we agree on some things but there are times when you are located in different places, There are different levels of development, and they all bring different experiences to it,” he said.
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