Russian Envoy to India Denis Alipov on Friday asserted that if reports of arms supply by Pakistan to Ukraine are confirmed it will have serious and negative implications for Russia-Pak ties. “Russia has taken serious note of reports of arms supply from Pakistan to Ukraine. If such reports are confirmed then it will have serious and negative implications for Russia-Pakistan ties,” Alipov said.
Alipov was responding to a query by ET in a press meet held here days after Samarkand meet between the PM and Russian President. ET was first to report that UK has created an airbridge from Pakistan to supply arms to Ukraine. The Pakistan-made ammunition that reached Ukraine is now reportedly being used on the battlefield. Close UK-Pakistan military ties have been a sore point in bilateral ties between New Delhi and London. ET had reported that the Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi was part of the air bridge used by the UK for military aircraft flights to Avram IancuCluj International Airport in Romania via a British air base in the Mediterranean in August.
Alipov further said that Russia is neither is interested in mediating between India and China nor it is sowing seeds of suspicion between India and China unlike some other states. Moscow treated this as a bilateral issue and hoped RIC created goodwill and atmosphere for both sides to address differences. ”We stand for those disputes to be resolved solely between India and China for the benefit of both parties. We don’t see any other role in this dialogue. We don’t want to get involved in resolution of bilateral disputes between India and China.” He claimed India and Russia are on same page with regard to conflict in Ukraine and that both sides are involved in several joint economic projects including in infrastructure, high tech, fintech, railways and urbanisation.
“The PM-President meeting in Samarkand discussed all bilateral projects.” Alipov said that Russia and India have both been asking for a cessation to hostilities but Russia had to act as it would have been “irresponsible” to not respond against what he described as “totally unacceptable actions” from U.S. and the NATO. Alipov however argued that pursuing the price cap would push the global energy market into greater volatility and added, “I believe it would create a very acute shortage of supplies in global market and ultimately the price of oil globally would sharply go up.” He emphasised that India is expected to act to safeguard its energy interest. “India and Russia are working on a long term energy supply deal.” Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra stated last week that India is not a member of the G7 with regard to price cap.”…When Indian entities go out and try to respond to India’s needs of energy security and procure oil, they essentially procure it from the market.”