‘India Chooses Its Own Partners,’ Says Russian Foreign Minister On Trump’s Tariffs

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has underscored the depth and resilience of India-Russia relations, describing the ties as a “privileged strategic partnership” that spans multiple sectors. Speaking recently, Lavrov highlighted that the cooperation between the two nations is long-standing, multifaceted, and continues to grow across trade, defense, technology, finance, healthcare, and artificial intelligence, as well as through platforms like the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and BRICS.

Lavrov noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin held discussions on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin, China. He also confirmed that President Putin is expected to visit New Delhi in December, signaling continued high-level engagement between the two countries.

India’s Sovereign Decision-Making Amid US Pressure

Addressing questions about US pressure on India regarding Russian oil imports, Lavrov emphasized that India-Russia economic ties remain strong and are not under threat. “India chooses its own partners,” he said, adding that while New Delhi may consider conditions set by the US for expanding India-US trade, decisions on relations with other countries remain entirely India’s prerogative. He praised India’s independent foreign policy, comparing it to that of other self-respecting nations like Turkey.

#WATCH | On India-Russia relations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says, “This year, my colleague, I spoke to him yesterday, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, will visit Russia and I will visit India. We hold regular exchanges. I’m not even asking what is going to happen to our… pic.twitter.com/7Ktdb79fVF

— ANI (@ANI) September 27, 2025

On the topic of energy, Lavrov reiterated Russia’s respect for India’s national interests. He lauded the autonomous foreign policy approach of Prime Minister Modi and External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, stating, “India is fully capable of deciding what it buys from whom. If the US wants to sell oil to India, India can discuss terms, but the choice of supplier is India’s sovereign decision.” He also clarified that India’s trade relations with the US do not conflict with its partnership with Russia.

A Partnership Beyond the Ordinary

Highlighting the unique nature of the bilateral relationship, Lavrov emphasized that India-Russia ties go beyond standard diplomatic or economic agreements. “This is not an ordinary partnership; it is a privileged strategic partnership,” he said. He pointed to frequent exchanges between the two nations, including Foreign Minister Jaishankar’s upcoming visit to Russia and his own scheduled trip to India later this year, signaling sustained collaboration and dialogue at the highest levels.