The United States has warned India against rapprochement with Russia or helping it bypass sanctions, coinciding with the visit of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to New Delhi, as he seeks to persuade officials to boost the use of the Russian ruble and not yield to Western pressure to condemn the war on Ukraine.
Lavrov said when meeting with his Indian counterpart S.
Jaishankar - today, Friday - that his country is "working to overcome the conditions that resulted from Western sanctions", by strengthening its relations with our "true friends".
He added that Moscow is seeking to strengthen the relationship with Asian markets to reduce the use of the dollar and bypass the illegitimate sanctions, stressing that it will enhance the use of the Russian ruble in its international trade transactions.
The Russian foreign minister arrived in New Delhi late on Thursday from China, which he hailed as part of a "just, multipolar new world order".
India and Russia are seeking to establish a rupee and ruble payment mechanism to facilitate trade exchanges and bypass Western sanctions imposed on Russian banks, according to media reports.
Russia has sent a letter to India's Defense Ministry requesting a $1.3 billion payment facility that has been pending since last month, according to India's The Economic Times.
India abstained from voting on United Nations resolutions imposing sanctions on Moscow over its war on Ukraine.
New Delhi continues to buy Russian oil, and Moscow is also the largest supplier of arms.
However, India shares the West's concern about China's growing influence in the Asia-Pacific region.
20 Indian soldiers and 4 Chinese soldiers were killed in a clash at the disputed border in the Himalayas in 2020.
American warnings
Prior to the talks that Lavrov held in India, the Indian-American official Dalip Singh - chief sanctions planner in Washington - visited New Delhi in which he warned against helping Moscow bypass sanctions.
"I came here in a spirit of friendship to explain the mechanisms of our sanctions, the importance of joining us, to express common resolve, and to advance common interests. And yes, there will be repercussions for countries actively seeking to circumvent or compensate for sanctions," Singh said.
"We are keen that all countries, especially our allies and partners, do not put in place a mechanism that strengthens the ruble and seeks to undermine the dollar-based financial system," he added.
Indian media also quoted the US official as saying during the visit that India could not rely on Russia in the event of another clash on the border.
"I don't think anyone will believe that if China again violates the Line of Control, Russia will come to the defense of India," he added.
It is noteworthy that after the border clash with China in 2020, India sent large military equipment to the border, most of which are of Russian origin.
India at the same time is a member of the "Quad" alliance, which also includes the United States, Australia and Japan, and is seen as a force against China.