Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov paid a two-day official visit to India from 31 March -1 April 2022. He met India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on 1 April 2022 and followed it with a visit to the Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi the same day.
In its official briefing, India’s Ministry of External Affairs noted that during their consultations, the Foreign Ministers took stock of the overall state of bilateral cooperation between India and Russia. They also evaluated the implications of recent developments in Ukraine and the impact of sanctions on India-Russia trade and economic relations. Highlighting India’s concerns, S. Jaishankar emphasised that the global churn is likely to have an inevitable impact on the Indian economy. This necessitates a ‘stable and predictable’ dynamic and intensification of economic, technological and people-to-people contacts between the two countries.[i] In this respect, the Rupee-Ruble arrangement for future transactions as well as oil deals are two important constituents for the stability in economic ties. The two ministers also discussed the situation in Ukraine; Afghanistan; Iran/JCPOA; ASEAN and the Indian subcontinent.[ii]
On Ukraine, the Indian side underscored the “importance of cessation of violence and ending hostilities” through “dialogue and diplomacy and by respect for international law, United Nations (UN) Charter, sovereignty and territorial integrity of states”. On Afghanistan, S. Jaishankar reiterated the need for increased humanitarian support for the Afghan people while Lavrov shared his assessment of the recent conference on Afghanistan in China which he had attended prior to visiting India.
The most important highlight of Lavrov’s visit was his meeting with PM Modi where the latter “conveyed India's readiness to contribute in any way to the peace efforts”. It was reported that Sergei Lavrov briefed PM Modi on the situation in Ukraine and the status of the ongoing peace negotiations.[iii] Lavrov-Modi meeting also stood out because he was the only Minister who had a meeting with the PM during a week when, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi; US Deputy National Security Adviser Daleep Singh; EU Special Envoy for the Indo-Pacific Gabriele Visentin and British Foreign Secretary Liz Trusss also visited Delhi. It showcased the ‘special and privileged’ aspect of the India-Russia bilateral ties.
This high-level visit of a Russian Minister attracted significant interest as it came in the backdrop of the ongoing crisis in Ukraine and the ensuing isolation of Russia from its Western partners. Russia's ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine since February 24 this year has ushered in a new phase of West-Russia sanctions and countersanctions. This has given a further push to Russia’s pivot to Asia, a phenomenon that had already gained momentum post the 2014 Ukraine crisis. Seen in this context, Lavrov’s visit to China and India comes across as part of the country’s diplomatic outreach towards its Asian partners. The timing of his visit was strategic at a time when New Delhi has seen a series of diplomatic visits in the past few weeks. Given that India is the world's third-largest importer of oil, the country offers a large market for Russian oil. At present, most of India’s demands are met from Saudi Arabia and Iraq and there is immense scope for buying more (discounted) oil from Russia. India has purchased small quantities of oil from Russia in the last one month and is expected to purchase more in the coming months. As iterated by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at the CNBC-TV18's India Business Leader Awards, India has already received Russian oil and would continue to do so because it lay in the country’s national interests to purchase discounted oil.[iv]
To conclude, India has maintained a balanced position in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. As pointed out by S. Jaishankar in the Rajya Sabha on 15 March, India’s position in this regard has been “steadfast and consistent”.[v] New Delhi has repeatedly urged for diplomacy and dialogue to resolve the Ukraine conflict and has also explained its stance at the UN. PM Modi has held telephonic conversations with presidents of both Russia and Ukraine-Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, respectively. It is clear from the latest developments that India would continue to focus on its national interests and “mutual respect and the search for a balance of interests” would continue to define the India-Russia dynamic in the future.[vi]
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*Dr. Himani Pant is a Research Fellow at Indian Council of World Affairs, New Delhi
Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal.
Endnotes
[i]Ministry of External Affairs, Visit of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russian Federation to India (31 March – 1 April 2022) April 01, 2022, Accessed on 2 April 2022, https://www.mea.gov.in/press-releases.htm?dtl/35136/Visit_of_Minister_of_Foreign_Affairs_of_Russian_Federation_to_India_31_March__1_April_2022
[ii]S. Jaishankar, 1 April 2022, Tweet-Concluded talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Accessed on 1 April 2022, https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1509822829428371458
[iii]Ministry of External Affairs, Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, H.E. Mr. Sergei Lavrov, calls on Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, April 01, 2022, Accessed on 2 April 2022, https://www.mea.gov.in/press-releases.htm?dtl/35137/Foreign_Minister_of_the_Russian_Federation_HE_Mr_Sergei_Lavrov_calls_on_Prime_Minister_Shri_Narendra_Modi
[iv]Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Russian Oil: Why wouldn't I buy #oil, if it is available at a discount?, 1 April 2022, Accessed on 1 April 2022, 'https://twitter.com/CNBCTV18News/status/1509895713630879746
[v]Ministry of External Affairs, “Suo-Moto Statement by External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar in the Rajya Sabha on the “Situation in Ukraine”, March 15, 2022, Accessed on 20 March 2022, https://www.mea.gov.in/Speeches-Statements.htm?dtl/34952
[vi]TASS, Search for balance of interests to prevail in dialogue with India — Lavrov, 1 April 2022, Accessed on 2 April 2022, https://tass.com/world/1430809