https://www.dw.com/en/lavrov-visits-ind ... a-61315080
Lavrov visits India to discuss Ukraine amid US criticism
Russia's top envoy has said he "appreciates" India's response to the Ukraine crisis. India has so far refused to condemn Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine, calling only for a cessation of violence.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is holding talks Friday with senior Indian officials on the Ukraine war and ways to boost bilateral ties.
It comes after Lavrov met his Chinese counterpart earlier in the week.
The two Asian powers are the only major countries to have not condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine in late February.
"We appreciate that India is taking this situation in the entirety of facts and not just in a one-sided way," Lavrov said in his opening remarks during a meeting with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
"We continue to implement projects in the areas of energy, science and technology, outer space, pharmaceutical industry," he said.
Jaishankar said bilateral ties had been expanded but that they would have detailed discussions about the ongoing "difficult international environment".
"India, as you are aware, has always been in favor of resolving differences and disputes with dialogue and diplomacy," he said.
Lavrov's trip coincides with visits by UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Daleep Singh, the US chief sanctions strategist.
Despite Western pressure, India has so far refused to condemn Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, calling only for a cessation of violence.
New Delhi has abstained from voting on UN resolutions censuring Russia and continues to buy Russian oil and other goods.
West criticizes India for its stance
India is considering doubling its imports of Russian coking coal used in making steel. And Reuters reported this week that India has agreed to buy 45,000 tons of Russian sunflower oil for April delivery after supplies from Ukraine stopped, more than double the monthly average last year.
Russia, meanwhile, is offering India steep discounts — of as much as $35 (€31) off per barrel on prices before the war — on the direct sale of oil, Bloomberg reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.
The two countries, which have shared close ties for decades, are also reportedly working on a rupee-ruble payment mechanism to facilitate trade and circumvent Western sanctions.
The move has frustrated the US and its allies, who have been trying to isolate and punish Moscow.
The US and Australia on Wednesday criticized India, with US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo saying, "Now is the time to stand on the right side of history," and not fund and aid Russia's war on Ukraine. It came after US President Joe Biden said recently that India was "somewhat shaky" on Russia.
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https://www.reuters.com/world/russias-l ... 022-04-01/
Russia's Lavrov hopes to bypass sanctions in trade with "friend" India
Krishna N. Das, April 1, 2022
NEW DELHI - Russia will increase its use of non-Western currencies for trade with countries such as India, its foreign minister said on Friday, as he hailed New Delhi as a friend that was not taking a "one-sided view" on the Ukraine war.
Sergei Lavrov visited India to shore up support from a country Russia has long regarded as an ally a day after U.S. and British officials pressed India to avoid undermining the dollar-based financial system and sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.
India and China are the only major countries that have not condemned what Russia calls its "special military operation". After Lavrov visited China this week, Beijing said it was "more determined" to develop ties with Russia. read more
"We are friends," Lavrov told a news conference after meeting his Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, adding India saw the Ukraine crisis in the "entirety of facts and not just in a one-sided way".
Lavrov said Russia's central bank had several years ago established a system for the communication of financial information and India had a similar system.
"It is absolutely clear that more and more transactions would be done through this system using national currencies, bypassing dollar, euro and other currencies," he said.
Russia is the biggest supplier of defence equipment to India and Lavrov said the two countries would use a rupee-rouble mechanism to trade oil, military hardware and other goods.
"We will be ready to supply any goods which India wants to buy," he said.
"I have no doubt that a way would be (found) to bypass the artificial impediments which illegal unilateral sanctions by the West create. This relates also to the area of military-technical cooperation."
Lavrov said there was some movement forward in negotiations with Ukraine.
"Non-nuclear, non-bloc, neutral status - it is now being recognised as absolutely necessary," he said.
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Gautam