Putin made the comments during a keynote speech in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi.
Sochi:
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the Indian government acts independently in the interests of its citizens and any Western efforts to create a rift between Moscow and New Delhi are pointless.
“The West is trying to make an enemy of anyone who disagrees with its monopoly. Everyone is in danger – even India, but the Indian leadership acts independently in the interests of their nation,” Putin said in a keynote speech from the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi.
“Attempts to dissuade India from Russia are pointless, India is an independent state,” he added.
His comments come at a time when Indian refiners are being criticized for buying up discounted Russian oil after Western nations imposed sanctions on the country. The United States and the European Union stopped buying oil from Russia after the invasion of Ukraine in February last year.
Putin praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said India is growing stronger under his leadership.
“India has more than 1.5 billion people, more than 7 percent of economic growth… this is a powerful country, a powerful country. And it is getting stronger under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi,” Putin said.
He also said that like Russia, India has no borders as Indians leave their mark in almost every part of the world.
Putin has barely left Russia since launching a full-scale offensive against Ukraine in February 2022. He recently skipped the BRICS meeting in South Africa and the G20 summit in New Delhi. Explaining his reasons, Putin said he skipped the meetings because he didn’t want to provoke a “political show.”
The Russian leader is the target of an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court – a provision that South Africa, as an ICC member, would have to implement if he were to enter the country.
“Why should I cause problems for our friends during an event?” Putin said.
In March, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin over his decision to send troops to Ukraine last year and over the illegal deportation of children to Russia. Moscow described the arrest warrant as “illegal.”
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