Sandeep Dikshit

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 6

Russia came out strongly against the US policies in the Asia-Pacific of which India is a votary under the rubric of Indo-Pacific. Russia’s “serious concerns over the United States’ activity in the Asia-Pacific Region” was conveyed during the two plus two meeting of Defence and Foreign Ministers here.

India is faced with challenges arising out of extraordinary militarisation in its neighbourhood and completely unprovoked aggression on the northern border. Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister

“We expressed our concern about the activities taking place in this region under the slogan of Indo-Pacific strategies where we see non-inclusive blocs,” Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the media. The two plus two, he said, focused on developments in the Asia-Pacific where elements of instability accumulating over the past few years could undermine the universal framework of cooperation, he warned.

The latest example, he said, was the Australia-US-UK military grouping. “There are questions on the plans to supply to Australia or make in Australia N-powered subs and whether these plans comply with IAEA norms and nuclear non-proliferation rules,” Lavrov added.