Your View Of China Different To Mine, My View Of Russia Different To Yours: S Jaishankar On Europe

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has defended India's ties with Russia, saying that New Delhi cannot be expected to toe the European line on its long-standing relationship with Moscow.

He also said that the West has for a long time ‘preferred’ Pakistan over India when it comes to supplying arms.

“Many Western countries have long preferred to supply Pakistan and not India. But that trend has changed in the past 10 or 15 years with the USA, for example, and our new purchases have diversified with the USA, Russia, France, and Israel, as the main suppliers,” Jaishankar said in an interview with German economic daily Handelsblatt.

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Jaishankar also addressed the complexities of international relations, especially regarding India's stance on Russia amidst the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, which is nearing its two-year mark.

He stressed the importance of recognising the distinct perspectives countries hold based on their unique relationships and interests.

"My point is, just as I do not expect Europe to have a view of China that is identical to mine, Europe should understand that I cannot have a view of Russia that is identical to the European one. Let us accept that there are natural differences in relationships,” he said.

Jaishankar's comments come amid the heightened scrutiny over India's ties with Russia, especially in light of the recent death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in jail, which has led to renewed criticism of Vladimir Putin's regime within the Western bloc.

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