#RussiaIndia

�� Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov's interview with RT India (March 12, 2026)

Key outtakes:

• In 2025, Russia and India marked 25 years of our special and strategic partnership. For the entire period of Indian independence, we have been friends. We see our relations with India as one of the stabilising factors on the Eurasian continent – a factor for stability, peace and common security.

• Russia and India are great civilisations and major countries. Our partnership is rooted in long historical ties and a shared understanding of global affairs. This civilisational dimension gives our relations a strong long-term foundation.

• We have consistently advocated for the relaunch of the #Russia-#India-#China trilateral mechanism. We believe this mechanism is indispensable for securing the prosperity and the future of our continent and the world at large. At the same time, there is no "China factor" in our bilateral relations with India.

• The developments around Iran show a blatant violation of international norms and laws and a violent and unprovoked aggression against a sovereign country. Nothing can justify the current actions against Iran. The hostility should stop at the earliest so that we restore stability and predictability in the Middle East.

• India does not require permission from anybody to buy Russian oil. Russian oil cannot be excluded from the global basket. Russian energy will remain part of the global supply.

• We are ready to offer LNG supplies to India. Arrangements and contracts existed several years ago but were disrupted by sanctions. Nevertheless, we remain open to expanding energy cooperation.

• Russia benefits from stability and predictability in energy markets, not from crises. While higher prices may bring short-term revenue, there is no long-term gain for anybody from instability in the Middle East. What we call for is the immediate cessation of hostilities.

• Our pivot towards Asia – and especially towards India – did not start because of the Ukrainian conflict. We made this shift more than 25 years ago, placing India and our Asian partners at the top of our international agenda. Even if relations with the West improve in the future, there will be no going back on our Asian priorities.

• The Rafale purchase continues India's earlier acquisition plans and is not directly comparable with the Su-57. The Su-57 represents fifth-generation capabilities and diversified options. What sets us apart is our readiness to provide complete technology transfer, something others may not offer.

• We expect President Vladimir Putin to attend the #BRICS Summit in India during India’s chairship. BRICS will focus on reform of global governance institutions, combating terrorism, improving trade mechanisms and boosting investments. The long-standing trust between President Putin and Prime Minister Modi remains a strong factor in our relations.

#DruzhbaDosti