MOSCOW, 19 Mar. India seeks to maintain long-term relations with Russia against the background of the confrontation between the West and Moscow, writes columnist for the American Vox website Jan Kirby. Antagonism between the United States and Russia, exacerbated by the Ukrainian crisis, puts New Delhi in a difficult position, the author noted. «But India is used to such situations. During the Cold War, it adhered to the tactics of «non-alignment», tried not to be involved in the conflicts of the great powers (USSR and the USA. — Approx. ed.) and to maintain sovereignty. Although the country's foreign policy line has changed over the years, the idea of autonomy is still lies at its foundation,» the columnist recalled. As Kirby explained, balancing between the two centers of power requires complex calculations from New Delhi, but such a strategy is in its interests. Warm relations with the United States and Western sanctions pressure do not prevent India from trading with Russia and negotiate to buy oil at a discount, the article says.
15:50The Chinese responded to Biden's threats to «punish» Beijing for supporting RussiaMoscow also supplies a large amount of military equipment to the Indian army. Since 2010, it owns two-thirds of the country's arms market. Great Britain, France, Israel and the USA are far from such high rates, the author complained. In addition, the vast arsenal of acquired weapons requires a service that only Russia can provide, the journalist clarified. As the observer summed up, New Delhi needs a strong Moscow to help maintain the balance of power in Asia. Russia launched a special operation on February 24 to demilitarize and denazify Ukraine . The armed forces say they are only targeting military infrastructure and Ukrainian troops. After that, many Western countries announced large-scale sanctions against Moscow, primarily against the banking sector and the supply of high-tech products. In addition, many brands have announced the termination of work in the country. The Kremlin called these measures an economic war like no other. At the same time, the authorities stressed that they were ready for such a development of events and would continue to fulfill social obligations. The Central Bank is taking measures to stabilize the situation on the foreign exchange market. Delhi
