Putin’s red carpet for S Jaishankar invites western ire
EAM S Jaishankar with Russian President Vladimir Putin
By Manish Anand
New Delhi, Janaury 2: The five-day year-end diplomatic tightrope of India with the visit of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to Russia is inviting the western ire. Russian President Vladimir Putin had warmly received Jaishankar in a cleverly set-up aimed to send out a message of affections for India.
But the visit has not gone unnoticed in the western capitals. Former US ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul alleged that India is giving priority to trade gains over moral values. McFaul said: “India was once a world champion against imperialism and for decolonization. Sad to see this embrace of imperial Russia using war and annexation to try to recolonize Ukraine.”
The US ambassador was apparently alluding to India’s absentations on resolutions moved at the United Nations against Russia in the aftermath of the Ukraine War, as well as New Delhi tapping into discounted Russian oil. McFaul added “I guess money is more important than values.”
His remarks posted on the social media platform invited angry rebuttal from the Indian diplomatic community. McFaul was hauled over the coal for the alleged Americal hypocrisy in its international relations. Former Indian foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal joined the issue with McFaul and remarked: “I guess money is more important than values – doesn’t this apply to ties that US has built with CCP ruled China, with Xi openly spurning US/ western values & suppressing freedoms in Tibet & Xinjiang. China remains US’ biggest trade partner.”
RT in a report sought to give context to the western heartburn over Indo-Russia relations, saying “India currently imports almost 20% of its oil from Russia.” The Ankara-based daily argued that India is tapping into the discounted Russian oil to meet the rising energy demands in the country. It added that Russia is now now top oil supplier to India, ahead of Iraq and Saudi Arabia, with a 40 per cent share in Indian omports.
Former Indian diplomats Anil Trigunayat and Yogesh Gupta also countered the claims made by McFaul. Gupta remarked: “USA has zero credibility towards ideals and values having often supported dictators, military rulers, murderers, terrorists and communists. Before lecturing look inwards please. India (is) following its national interests much like USA.”
Some of the commentators has argued that India is asserting its multi-dimensional diplomacy to resist the western attempts to dictate terms of engagement in the light of the US and Canada probing alleged assassination plots of Sikh activists, allegedly by the Indian officials. Jaishankar’s Russia visit had followed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s interview to the UK-based daily Financial Times in which he had responded to questions over the assassination plots and stressing that “absolute agreement is not necessary for cooperation” in a message seen aimed at the US.
However, a section of India critical commentators claim that Jaishankar’s Russia visit has no links with the Indian discomforts iver the ongoing probe in the US and Canada over murder plots. Derek Grossman in a post on Linkdin said: “The Indians who say Jaishankar went to Moscow in retaliation for US treatment of Khalistan issue or engagement with Pakistan aren’t arguing in good faith. A strong India-Russia partnership existed before these events and Jaishankar visit was likely planned well prior. No connection.”
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