India’s Sovereign Partnerships: Russia Stands Firm Against US Sanctions

In a recent statement, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov addressed the issue of US secondary sanctions concerning India’s imports of Russian oil. Lavrov emphasized that the economic partnership between India and Russia is not under threat. He highlighted that India’s leadership has made it unequivocally clear that India chooses its own international partners. He indicated that while India is open to discussing trade agreements with the US, it will independently determine its relationships with other countries regarding trade, investment, and other collaborations. In addition to these comments, Lavrov reinforced Russia’s backing of India’s bid to obtain a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. He emphasized the necessity of UNSC reform to better mirror the current global landscape and indicated that Russia supports India’s application along with Brazil’s to increase representation from Asia, Africa, and Latin America.