Russia absolutely respects India’s nationwide pursuits and the unbiased international coverage being pursued by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has mentioned, asserting that India’s ties with the United States or every other nation can’t be a benchmark for New Delhi-Moscow ties.

Mr. Lavrov, who addressed the UN General Assembly (UNGA) shortly earlier than External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s speech on the high-level General Debate, mentioned India and Russia share a “particularly privileged strategic partnership”.

“These conditions that may come up between India and the United States or India and every other nation, I am unable to take into account them a standards for relations between India and Russia,” he mentioned at a press convention on Saturday (September 27, 2025).

Mr. Lavrov was responding to a query on India’s continued imports of Russian oil regardless of U.S. strain on nations to cut back such purchases, and the way Moscow views its ties with New Delhi on this context.

“We have full respect for the nationwide pursuits of India, full respect for the international coverage that (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi is finishing up to advertise these nationwide pursuits,” he mentioned, noting that India and Russia preserve common high-level contacts.

Mr. Lavrov cited the current assembly between PM Modi and President Vladimir Putin on the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in China. He added that President Putin is predicted to go to New Delhi in December.

“We have a really in depth bilateral agenda — commerce, navy, technical cooperation, finance, humanitarian issues, healthcare, excessive tech, synthetic intelligence — and naturally, shut coordination on the worldwide stage, inside the SCO, BRICS and bilaterally,” the Russian chief mentioned.

Mr. Lavrov had met with Mr. Jaishankar for bilateral discussions on the margins of the eightieth session of the UNGA and had additionally participated within the annual assembly of the BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs/International Relations, chaired by India in its capability because the incoming Chair for 2026.

Mr. Lavrov spoke about bilateral visits and common exchanges between him and Mr. Jaishankar.

“I’m not even asking what is going to happen to our trade relations or oil? I don’t ask our Indian colleagues this. They are perfectly capable of making these decisions for themselves,” he mentioned.

Referring to Mr. Jaishankar’s remarks on oil imports, Mr. Lavrov mentioned the External Affairs Minister had clearly said that if the “U.S. needs to promote its oil to us, we’re ready to debate the phrases for this, however what we purchase from different nations, not the United States, however from Russia or different nations, that is our personal enterprise, and that has nothing to do with the Indian-U.S. agenda”.

“That is a really worthy response,” he mentioned, including that it reveals that India, like Turkiye, has “self-respect”.

In response to a different query, Mr. Lavrov burdened that the financial partnership between Russia and India is safe.

“There is not any menace to this relationship. And if anyone does do one thing of that nature, the Indian Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, have mentioned it loud and clear, India chooses its personal companions,” he mentioned.

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“If the US has proposals on the best way to enrich bilateral commerce between the U.S. and India, they’re ready to debate the phrases for that, no matter phrases the U.S. would possibly put forth.

“But in relation to commerce, funding, financial, navy, technological and different relations between India and third states, it’s one thing that India will talk about solely with these states in query,” Mr. Lavrov mentioned.

The Trump administration has imposed 50% tariffs on India, together with 25% for its purchases of Russian oil, with New Delhi going through among the many highest levies imposed by Washington.

The Trump administration has imposed a further 25% tariff on India as a penalty for its purchases of Russian oil, taking the whole levies imposed on the nation by the US to 50%, among the many highest on this planet.

India has been sustaining that its vitality procurement is pushed by nationwide curiosity and market dynamics.

Earlier, Mr. Jaishankar had posted on X about his assembly with Mr. Lavrov: “Good dialog with FM Sergey Lavrov of Russia on the sidelines of #UNGA80. Useful dialogue on bilateral ties, the Ukraine battle and developments within the Middle East.”

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