India, Russia strengthen defence ties despite U.S. sanctions threat over oil imports
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Amid growing tensions with the United States over energy trade, India and Russia reaffirmed their commitment to deepening defence cooperation during a high-level meeting in Moscow on Tuesday.
Indian Ambassador Vinay Kumar met with Russia’s Deputy Defence Minister Colonel-General Alexander Fomin to discuss bilateral defence ties.
The Russian Ministry of Defence reported that the meeting was conducted in a “warm and friendly atmosphere, customary for Russian-Indian ties.”
According to the official statement, “During the conversation, the sides discussed in detail the pertinent issues of bilateral interaction in the sphere of defence and confirmed their intent toward the further strengthening of relevant cooperation in the spirit of particularly privileged strategic partnership.”
The talks come at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump has warned of imposing strict sanctions on India in response to its continued purchase of crude oil from Russia. Despite the threat, New Delhi and Moscow appear committed to bolstering their longstanding strategic relationship, particularly in the area of defence collaboration.
Colonel-General Fomin, who oversees Russia's international defence cooperation, hosted the Indian envoy as part of ongoing efforts to maintain strong military and diplomatic ties between the two nations.
