On his way back to India from 2x2 discussions in Washington between the Defense and Foreign ministers of the U.S. and India, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh made it clear to an Indian-American community in San Francisco that India would not go along with American insistence that they join the sanctions and denunciations of Russia. According to the Indian business publication Mint, Singh said that if India has a good relationship with one country, it does not mean that its relationship with any other country will deteriorate. “India has never adopted this kind of diplomacy. India will never opt for this (kind of diplomacy). We don’t believe in the zero-sum game in international relationships,” he said. India, he said, believes in having a bilateral relationship which is based on “win-win” for both the countries.
Sputnik’s coverage takes note that Singh’s remarks “came amidst some disquiet in Washington over India’s position on the Ukraine crisis as well as its decision to procure discounted Russian oil,” and that “India and Russia are also exploring ways to find an alternative payment mechanism to SWIFT where they would be able to do trade in their own currencies, the rupee and ruble respectively.”
Singh also warned China, without naming it, about possible future border incidents between the two countries. “I can definitely say that a message has gone that India will not spare anyone, if India is harmed.”
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be visiting India April 21-23, and “is expected to announce major investments in key industries in India and push for democracies to stick together in the face of threats from `autocratic states’ during his two-day visit,” Mint reported.
