news details |
|
|
| Russia is power with enormous tradition of statecraft: S Jaishankar | | |  Agencies
NEW DELHI, Feb 23: Russia is a power with an enormous tradition of statecraft and it is turning more towards Asia or non-West parts of the world, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Friday, delving into current geopolitical developments and their fall-outs. In an interactive session at the Raisina Dialogue, S Jaishankar, replying to a question on Moscow's growing proximity with Beijing, said it makes sense to give Russia multiple options and that railroading it into a single option and criticising it for that would be like a self-fulfilling prophecy.
"I think it makes sense to give Russia multiple options. If we railroad Russia into a single option and say that's really bad because that's the outcome, then you are making it a self-fulfilling prophecy," he said.
Today it is important for other countries, especially in Asia to engage Russia," Mr Jaishankar said.
"Russia is a power with an enormous tradition of statecraft. Such powers would never put themselves into a single relationship of an overwhelming nature. It would go against their grain," he said.
The external affairs minister was asked to comment on intensification of ties between Russia and China and whether India was uncomfortable with it.
"What's happened today with Russia essentially is that a lot of doors have been shut to Russia and the West. We know the reasons why. Russia is turning more to Asia or to parts of the world which are not West," he said. The external affairs minister suggested that policies of the West are bringing Russia and China closer.
"It's kind of funny -- on the one hand you have people who set policies (and) bring the two together and then you say beware of them coming together," he said.
The question was asked by Michael Fullilove, Executive Director of Lowy Institute, Australia.
Mr Jaishankar's comments came days after he said India has had a "stable" and "very friendly" relationship with Russia, and that Moscow never hurt New Delhi's interests.
The ties between India and Russia remained strong notwithstanding Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
India's import of Russian crude oil has gone up significantly despite increasing disquiet over it in many Western countries.
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
