"We are a natural option": Jaishankar on Russia's Pivot to Asia
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar says India is a natural partner for Russia as Moscow turns toward Asia amid broken ties with Europe.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has asserted that India stands as a "natural option" for Russia as Moscow increasingly shifts its strategic gaze toward Asia. This pivot comes as Russia's long-standing and historically deep-rooted relationships with Europe and the United States face unprecedented strain following the conflict in Ukraine.
Speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in conversation with Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait, Jaishankar observed that the relationship between Russia and Europe has become fundamentally "broken" and "embittered."
A Shift from Europe to Asia
The Minister noted that while Russia has historically viewed itself as a European nation, the geopolitical consequences of the Ukraine war have forced a massive strategic realignment. This shift has seen Moscow looking more heavily toward Asian powers, most notably China.
"The result of what has happened because of the Ukraine war is that Russia, perforce, has turned much more to Asia," Jaishankar explained. However, he emphasized that it is in the interest of both the global community and Russia itself to ensure Moscow has diverse strategic choices rather than being tethered to a single partner.
"I do believe it's in our interest, and in the world's interest, that Russia has multiple choices and that it has other relationships in Asia of great weight and consequence," he added.
India's Role as a Steady Partner
Highlighting the unique position of New Delhi, Jaishankar pointed out that India's ties with Moscow are not new products of current geopolitics but are built on eight decades of consistency. He suggested that India is providing a sense of continuity to Russia during a period of intense global volatility.
The External Affairs Minister detailed India's approach as follows:
- Historical Continuity: India has maintained decent and steady relations with Russia since the early stages of their modern diplomatic history.
- Strategic Reassurance: India is signaling to Moscow that despite the radical changes in the international order and Western strategic calculations, the Indo-Russian bond remains unchanged.
- Balance of Power: The relationship serves as a stabilizing force that contributes to the overall status quo and the balance of power within the Asian continent.
"We are reassuring Russia that while we understand today the world has changed, Russia has changed, the entire strategic calculation between Russia and Europe and Russia and the West has changed... We're not even passing a value judgment on it," Jaishankar stated.
Escalating Pressure from the West
The Minister's comments arrive at a time of heightened friction between Moscow and the European Union. The EU has significantly intensified its economic warfare against the Russian state.
Recently, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced a massive new wave of sanctions. The latest measures include:
- Targeting the Military: Nearly 1,600 new listings aimed at Russia's military-industrial complex.
- Corporate Sanctions: Measures against 826 Russian companies and 743 CEOs.
- Technology Restrictions: A crackdown on components essential for advanced weaponry, including semiconductors, microcircuits, radar systems, and aviation technology.
With the EU's total list of sanctioned individuals and entities now approaching 4,600, the pressure on Moscow to find reliable economic and strategic partners in the East continues to mount.