'If People Can't Read Me...': MEA Jaishankar Responds to Western Media's Reaction Over Russia Visit

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday asserted that New Delhi’s ties with Moscow have proven to be beneficial. He reiterated that the nation’s relationship with Russia is ‘important and steady’.

In an interview with news agency ANI, Jaishankar pressed on the need for India to have a thoughtful approach when dealing with other countries.

“If people can’t read me, that means my mind games are working,” Jaishankar said in response to the Western media’s reaction to his five-day visit to Russia.

“But the answer is honestly I see no reason that people should take any, you know what was happening other than at face value because we have always maintained that the Russia relationship is a very important one, very steady one,” he added.

It is worth noting that India has held a neutral stand on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, while also advocating for dialogues and diplomacy to solve the matter. In relation to India’s opinion of the conflict, PM Modi in 2021 had also said that “this is not an era of war”.

Jaishankar noted that time and again he has reiterated the importance of the relationship India shares with Russia. “I have written about it in my book and I mean I said it in Moscow. I said it publicly in Moscow even before my meeting with President Putin happened, which is that we value this relationship It is a relationship that has served India well,” the former diplomat said.

Earlier in December, Jaishankar was on a five-day official visit to Russia, during which he met President Putin at the Kremlin. He also met his counterpart Sergey Lavrov and Russia’s Deputy PM Denis Manturov.

During his visit as well, Jaishankar had said that the relationship between India and Russia is much deeper than just diplomacy or economics.

The Russian President had also extended an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Russia next year. “We will be glad to see our friend, Prime Minister Modi in Russia,” Putin said during his meeting with Jaishankar. Upon his visit, “we will be able to discuss all the relevant, current issues and talk to the prospects of the Russian and Indian relationship,” Putin was quoted as saying.

Jaishankar after meeting with his Russian counterpart, while referring to Russia as India’s “valued and time-tested” partner talked about the mutual benefits that are derived from the relationship.

Talking about the Russia-India ties, Jaishankar said, “I think I must have been reacting to how I was asked that particular question and I know that it is not your intent. For us, Russia is a very valued partner.”

“It’s a very time-tested partner. It’s a relationship from which both India and Russia have benefited enormously benefited enormously and my presence here today and the fact you know all the developments that I have pointed out including our growing trade, investments, our military-technical cooperation, our connectivity projects. I think all of this will give you a good sense of the importance and the value that we attach to the relationship,” he added.

He noted that PM Modi and President Putin did not hold an annual meeting last year due to India’s G20 Presidency and other pre-made commitments at the end of the year.

“The tradition of annual meetings between our leaders is something that we value very greatly and as someone who has seen it over the last decade, I can attest to its enormous value,” Jaishankar said, adding that “I think my colleague has seen it for longer and could confirm what I am saying. I don’t think it is an issue of resumption of the summits. This year, because of our G20 presidency and at the end of the year, we had some preoccupations.”

India and Russia’s ties have remained strong even after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. In fact, India’s import of Russian crude oil has gone up significantly despite increasing disquiet over it in many Western countries.

(With inputs from ANI)