Ukraine crisis: Will continue to work with India in defence sector, says Russian envoy

With the US, the European Union and Australia slapping sanctions on Russia, Roman Babushkin, Russian embassy’s charge d’affaires, said on Wednesday that Moscow will continue to work with Indian partners in the defence sector even as they will keep in mind the possibility of a “negative influence of sanctions” on defence cooperation.
At an online media briefing, the envoy said, “We have big plans and we hope that our partnership will continue further at the same level we are enjoying today. The crisis would not impact India-Russia ties, including in areas of defence, and that there will be a “huge” Russian participation in the DefExpo in Gujarat next month.”
Whether the Western sanctions will adversely impact India-Russia defence cooperation, including the supply of S-400 missile systems, Babushkin said that “all the projects will continue”.
He welcomed India’s “independent position” on the Ukraine crisis, saying its views on the issue at the UN Security Council were reflective of the “special and privileged strategic partnership” between the two countries.

The Russian diplomat said India and Russia don’t “threaten” each other with unilateral sanctions and don’t interfere in each other’s domestic affairs. “We have very strong and trusted cooperation with India. The Western sanctions will negatively affect the Russian economy and banking system and punitive measures will create instability in the global economy as they will lead to an atmosphere of drust and fear,” he added.
India, he said, has been playing a vital role as a responsible global power and it takes an “independent and balanced” approach to world affairs.
On the overall crisis in Ukraine, the Russian diplomat alleged that Western powers had been trying to destabilise the region. “The NATO has been a source of instability and that the Western countries are trying to exert more pressure on Russia,” he claimed.

Goa NRI Commissioner writes to MEA
Meanwhile, former MP and Goa’s commissioner for NRI affairs Narendra Sawaikar on Wednesday wrote to External Affairs Miner S Jaishankar, saying that Goans living in Ukraine were anxious to temporarily return to India until normalcy is restored in the country.
Sawaikar said his office had begun to receive requests for help and assance for the safe return of Goans in Ukraine amid the prevailing tension in the country.