Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov had a "wideranging" discussion on the close partnership of the two nations on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers Meet in New Delhi on Wednesday.
"A wide ranging discussion with FM Sergey Lavrov of Russia on #G20FMM sidelines. Exchanged views on our bilateral cooperation and G20 issues," Jaishankar tweeted.
Talks between the two top diplomats come days after Russia's special military operation in Ukraine completed a year on February 24, 2023.
Washington's Destructive Policy
Ahead of Lavrov's meeting with Jaishankar, the Russian Foreign Ministry in a statement said that Lavrov would highlight how the "destructive policy" of the US and its allies have put the world at risk of a major disaster.
"The destructive policy of the US and its allies has already put the world on the brink of a disaster, provoked a rollback in socio-economic development and seriously aggravated the situation of the poorest countries," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
Moscow added that Lavrov would also talk about the European Union (EU) and NATO embargo on its goods that hold "big importance" for the global economy, including shipments of fertilizers and energy products.
The ministry also stated that the minister would speak about "the attempts by the West to take revenge for the inevitable disappearance of the levers of dominance from its hands".
Indian Imports from Russia Reach Record Highs
Despite continued US and Western pressure, India has refused to take sides in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Moreover, New Delhi has become one of Moscow's biggest trade partners since the special military operation was launched in Ukraine last year.
India's Russian imports have surged by as much as 400 percent since last year, with crude purchases being one of the biggest contributors in this phenomenal jump.
According to Indian Commerce Ministry statistics, Russia is currently the fourth largest exporter to the South Asian nation after China, the UAE, and the US. The overall value of Russian imports in India have risen from $7.71 billion a year ago to $37.31 billion in the current fiscal year.
Moreover, Russia has also surpassed Saudi Arabia to become its largest crude exporter, with New Delhi buying as much as 1.85 million barrels from Moscow in January.