Russia lauds India for following own interests on energy issue

NEW DELHI: Russia is satisfied with its relations with India, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday as he recalled New Delhi's rejection of attempts by the West to involve it in efforts to impose restrictions on energy purchases from Russia.
Lavrov said Russia has close cooperation with India in the energy sector and also underlined "close and especially confidential military-technical cooperation, including the production of appropriate modern weapons on the Indian territory". He also said India had made it clear it will follow its own interests on the issue of energy purchase from Russia.
"It is indeed a relationship that is developing robustly and rests on a solid foundation of friendship since India's struggle for independence. Now the West is saying that it must force the entire world to stop cooperating with Russia, to impose sanctions. From the perspective of not even diplomacy, but common sense, how can they make such arrogant public statements in relation to such countries as India, China, Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia? It is simply insulting to hear such demands," said Lavrov.
"We have diversified ties in the agricultural sector, in processes that we are now trying to develop together in the so-called "green transition".
While recalling President Vladimir Putin's meeting with PM Narendra Modi in 2021, Lavrov said the two leaders will also have the opportunity to communicate during upcoming events.