India's neutral position in the Ukraine conflict has been praised by Russia

In this photo taken from the Twitter account of Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, Jaishankar and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov pose for photos before their meeting in New Delhi, India, on Friday, April 1, 2022. (Image credit of Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar's Twitter account)

New Delhi: After Washington asked New Delhi to use its leverage with Russia to stop the war, Russia's foreign minister praised India for not taking a "one-sided approach" as he discussed Moscow's invasion of Ukraine with his Indian counterpart on Friday.

In their opening statements, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India's External Affairs Minister, and Sergey Lavrov, Russia's Foreign Minister, both emphasized how the two countries' connections have helped them get through difficult periods in the past.

India has always tried to prevent conflict via conversation and diplomacy, according to Jaishankar, and has avoided criticizing Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Lavrov thanked India for evaluating "the problem holistically, rather than in a one-sided manner." He expressed the hope that in the future, mutual respect and the pursuit of a balance in connections will prevail.

The two sides are likely to discuss the uninterrupted supply of spare parts for Russian military equipment in India's arsenal, as well as trade and oil payments in roubles, as desired by Moscow. During the Cold War, India was a close ally of Moscow, but it has subsequently tried to retain connections with both Russia and Western countries.

The US State Department's spokesman, Ned Price, said on Thursday that the US expected India to use its relations with Russia to assist end the conflict in Ukraine.

"Various countries will have different relationships with the Russian Federation. It's a historical fact as well as a geographical fact. Price told reporters in Washington, "That is not something we are looking to modify."

He said the US is seeking partners and friends to speak out against Russia's "unjustified, aggressive, deliberate aggression" in unity and loudly.

Experts say up to 60% of Indian defense equipment comes from Russia. New Delhi finds itself in a bind at a time when it is facing a 2-year-old standoff with China along their disputed border, with tens of thousands of soldiers within shooting distance. Twenty Indian soldiers and four Chinese soldiers died in a clash in 2020.

In the early 1990s, roughly 70% of Indian army weapons, 80% of air force systems, and 85% of naval platforms were made in the Soviet Union. India is diversifying its defense procurements and reducing its reliance on Russian armaments, purchasing more from the United States, Israel, France, and Italy.

However, Russia's energy dependence is still a factor in ties.

Last month, India's state-run oil company purchased 3 million barrels of Russian crude to meet its demands, defying Western pressure to avoid such imports.

Jaishankar defended India's decision and denounced "what appears to be a campaign on this topic" when he met British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss on Thursday.

According to him, Europe bought 15% more oil and gas from Russia in March than it did in February.

"The Middle East is where we acquire the majority of our supplies." In the past, India purchased less than 1% of Russia's total exports. When oil prices rise, it's normal for governments to look for excellent deals that benefit people," he remarked at a meeting of the India-United Kingdom Strategic Futures Forum.

"I'm confident that if we wait two to three months and look at who the big buyers are, the list won't be drastically different." I doubt we'll be in the top ten on that list."

India is being urged by the United States, the United Kingdom, and other Western countries to refrain from purchasing Russian oil and gas. According to Indian media sources, Russia is offering a 20% discount on oil purchases compared to global benchmark pricing.

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