Moscow [Russia], September 8 (ANI): Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday highlighted Russia's engagements beyond hydrocarbon cooperation with India and called New Delhi a very important player in the global majority, underlining the expanding bilateral partnership across energy, payments, nuclear cooperation, and education.
Peskov said Moscow considers India an important contributor to processes involving the “global majority”.
“We consider India as the biggest country in terms of population in the world, as the biggest democracy in the world. We consider India to be a very, very important player in the global majority, as we call it, and of course we do appreciate that India is really contributing to various processes in the global majority a lot,” he said.
Speaking to reporters via a virtual briefing from Moscow, Peskov said Russia’s engagement with India goes beyond hydrocarbon supplies and also covers the nuclear energy sector.
"I'm not speaking only about hydrocarbon supplies to India, but also the nuclear sphere. You know that Russia is one of the global leaders in the nuclear sphere, and we are a country that is involved in the construction of nuclear units in the world. So we're constructing more nuclear units currently than any other country in the world,” Peskov said.
He also highlighted the growing use of national currencies in payment exchanges, saying businesses from both countries are exploring new payment mechanisms. “Also, we are increasing, and now the majority of our payment exchanges are being done in national currencies, and our business is exploring this new field of payment,” he said.
The Kremlin spokesperson also highlighted educational ties between the two countries, noting the growing number of Indian students studying in Russia.
“Lots of Indian students are coming to study in Russia, and then we welcome Indian students. We were glad that they're staying with us in our country and getting their education here. So we hope that this field of cooperation will also be enhanced,” Peskov said.
On the Ukraine conflict, Peskov said Russia was aware of India’s position and claimed that it corresponds “to a great extent” with Moscow’s own position.
“We know the position of India on the Ukrainian conflict, and to a great extent, by the way, to a great extent, it corresponds with our own position, because we do want the solution of the Ukrainian conflict by peaceful means, and Russia is open to this process,” he said.
Peskov added that Russia welcomes India’s willingness to contribute to the process. “We welcome the willingness of the Indian side to contribute,” he said.
Ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to India for the BRICS Summit that gets underway on September 12 in New Delhi, Peskov also detailed expectations for the high-level engagement, confirming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a bilateral meeting with the Russian leader, which is likely on Friday, September 11.
Peskov said, "We're looking forward to the President and Prime Minister having another bilateral meeting during the visit. It is scheduled. It is scheduled for Friday, so first, like always, they will touch on the bilateral agenda. Trade and economic cooperation is a very wide scope."
Ahead of the visit, Peskov stated that the visit is an opportunity for the two countries to discuss issues of bilateral relations, while also wishing India success in hosting the summit.
Elaborating further, Peskov added, "In a couple of days, President Putin will begin his India visit. You know that our two leaders, Indian and Russian leaders, are in very close personal contact. They are very pragmatic in their relationship, and they are sincere as to be able to discuss in a very open and constructive way the most sensitive issues of our agenda and our bilateral relations. Of course, it opens additional horizons for our cooperation."
He noted, "We have no doubt that the summit will be successful. Russia, we are doing our best to contribute to further development of BRICS cooperation in the three main pillars of our interaction. So, those are policy and security, economy and finance, and cultural and humanitarian contexts. So, we are supporting the idea of inviting new countries to join different formats within BRICS." (ANI)
"Very, very important player": Kremlin spokesperson Peskov highlights engagement with India beyond hydrocarbons to nuclear sphere
