India does not support West sanctions against Russia: Official
An Indian official says New Delhi refuses to support the Western sanctions against Russia over the crisis in Ukraine and seeks instead to strengthen relations with Moscow.
Ajay Bisaria, the deputy secretary for Eurasia at India’s Foreign Ministry, made the remarks on Friday while confirming a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to India next week.
“India has clearly said that it cannot be part of the economic sanctions against Russia,” said Bisaria.
The deputy secretary added that New Delhi and Moscow hold a “special and privileged strategic partnership,” saying the two countries are shaping “a joint view of their relation for the next 10 years” in order to strengthen ties.
India and Russia “have identity or similarity in views on important global issues, including on the threats of terrorism, particularly in Russia and the neighborhood and on the need to defuse the Cold War-like tensions that are increasingly manifesting themselves in global relations,” Bisaria added.
Putin is set to visit India on December 10-11 for the 15th Annual India-Russia Summit, in which the Russian leader is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The two sides will reportedly focus on ways to boost bilateral trade during the summit, which will also incorporate the signing of around 15 agreements, including some between private companies.
In recent months, the Western states have imposed sanctions on Russia, including on its financial and energy sectors, putting a number of Russian nationals close to President Vladimir Putin on a sanctions list.
The West accuses Moscow of having a hand in the crisis in eastern Ukraine, which erupted when Kiev launched military operations in April to silence pro-Russia protests in the east. However, the Kremlin rejects the accusation.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/12/06/389057/india-not-backing-west-bans-on-russia/
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