India and Russia on Friday made a strong pitch to create multipolarity in geo-politics amid current flux with two sides affirming non-interference as universally acknowledged norms of international law and PM Narendra Modi emphasising on multilateralism that has been under threat following certain moves by the current USA administration.
Modi and visiting Russian president who spent hours with each other on Thursday and Friday signalled that New Delhi and Moscow are pillars of stability in current tumultuous geopolitics and geo-economics that has been hit by US decision to pull out of Iranian nuclear deal and Sino-US trade war.
ET has learnt that Modi and Putin spent three hours with each other on Thursday night followed by 90 minutes on Friday morning.
In a subtle message to the Trump administration, the two sides made it clear that they stand for strengthening of open, inclusive, transparent, non-discriminatory and rules-based multilateral trade system and prevention of fragmentation of international trade relations and trade protectionism in all forms.
While addressing a joint press meet following the Summit, Modi said, “Russia has always stood by India’s development…Russia and India agree on multipolarity and multilateralism in the world.”
The Iranian issue besides Afghan situation, Syrian theatre and crossborder terror were among the key agenda points in the Summit.
ET has learnt that Putin assured Modi that Russia could increase oil production if Iranian oil exports decline drastically after November 4. This could infer that India would increase oil imports from Russia.
Further in what can be viewed as subtle messages to a section of the western world in the context of efforts to undermine UN, the Indo-Russian joint statement stated, “The Sides reaffirmed their commitment to the principles of international law and the centrality of the United Nations in international relations.
Both Sides share the view that implementation in good faith of generally recognized principles and rules of international law excludes the practice of double standards or imposition by some States of their will on other States, and consider that imposition of unilateral coercive measures not based on international law, is an example of such practice. Both Sides would continue to work together to promote a democratic world order based on global and shared interests.”
Indo-Pacific has been area of emerging cooperation between the two sides. At Friday’s summit New Delhi and Moscow also supported the idea of the establishment of Regional Security Architecture that provides equal and indivisible security to all countries in Asia and in the regions of Pacific and Indian Oceans. The sides emphasised the importance of the continuation of the multilateral dialogue on this theme within the framework of the East Asia Summits and other regional fora.
India welcomed the initiative of Russia to create a Larger Eurasian Partnership in the backdrop of India’s SCO membership.
There was subtle message for China and its BRI as well. “Both Sides agreed that all new initiatives aimed at strengthening of the regional order are to be based on multilateralism...,” according to the joint statement.
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