In New Delhi, Ursula von der Leyen wants to distance India from Russia and bring it closer to the EU

Ursula von der Leyen at a virtual summit with India in Brussels in July 2020. (Illustration.) AFP - YVES HERMAN

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India now buys Russian oil in rupees and roubles, placing it among the privileged candidates for the export of high-tech Russian arms.

The country led by Narendra Modi is hardly close to Westerners.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is in Delhi on April 24 and 25 and she will try to tip the scales in the direction of the European point of view.

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With our correspondent in Brussels

,

Pierre Benazet

As much as Western and Chinese envoys were superbly ignored by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sergei Lavrov was received as the prodigal son.

Now it is the turn of the President of the European Commission.

Ursula von der Leyen has a busy Indian schedule.

The President of the European Commission will go from a renewable energy institute to a solar energy forum and – icing on the cake – she will conclude these two days by giving the prestigious opening speech of the Raisina dialogue, the geopolitical forum hosted annually by India.

But the key moment of this visit is the meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Energy is not on the agenda by chance, because it is one of the incentives that the European Union intends to offer India to

persuade it to get out of Russia's orbit

.

Russia could give arguments to China and Pakistan…

Ursula von der Leyen is in New Delhi to try to correct or influence the trajectory chosen by Narendra Modi.

India preferred to abstain during the vote at the United Nations on the resolution condemning the invasion of Ukraine and it chose to buy Russian crude oil at preferential prices.

Ursula von der Leyen has a double mission: on the one hand, to make Narendra Modi understand that his rapprochement with Russia is hampering his relations with the European Union and on the other hand to make him understand that letting Russia act with impunity could give arguments to China and Pakistan claiming part of Indian Kashmir.

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Invasion of Ukraine by Russia, what positioning of India and Pakistan?

I'm off to New Delhi as we celebrate 60 years of 🇪🇺🇮🇳 relations.



60 years during which we built a solid friendship.



And a cooperation that we now both want to take to the next level.



Looking forward to my discussions with @narendramodi

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) April 23, 2022

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  • European Union

  • India

  • Russia

  • Diplomacy

  • Ukraine

  • Ursula von der Leyen

  • Narendra Damodardas Modi