New Delhi [India]: Denis Alipov, Russia's Ambassador to India, voiced firm backing for India's permanent United Nations Security Council membership. He highlighted extensive discussions on this topic among the foreign ministers of both nations in December.
At a public talk on international turbulence in the National Capital, Alipov emphasized India's balanced approach to critical issues, citing its concurrent presidencies in the G20 and SCO in 2023. He underscored the collaborative efforts within the BRICS format.
The ambassador highlighted the frequent exchanges between heads of Security Councils and the seven meetings between foreign ministers in the previous year. He stressed the significance of this dialogue in the current geopolitical scenario.
Alipov reiterated Russia and India's alignment in preserving unbiased multilateral institutions, advocating for genuine democracy in international affairs under the central role of the United Nations and international law.
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Discussing bilateral relations, he mentioned the resumption of the Intergovernmental Commission's work post-pandemic and the consistent political dialogue in 2023.
Touching upon recent developments, Alipov referenced External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's Moscow visit, where discussions spanned global issues like Indo-Pacific, Ukraine conflict, and Gaza. He highlighted progress in economic cooperation, connectivity, military-technical cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges.
Jaishankar acknowledged the booming India-Russia trade and revealed plans to resume negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union. He discussed expanding investments in oil and gas and signed amendments for the Kudankulam nuclear power project.
The minister also emphasized discussions on the North-South Transport Corridor, hailing Russia as India's "valued and time-tested" partner. He showcased the growing importance of the multifaceted ties between the nations in various sectors like trade, investment, and military-technical cooperation.
—Input from Agencies
