"Surely you do not believe that because of the very strong bilateral relationship Russia can not engage or consult with other nations, of course it can… we are absolutely confident in saying that we do not believe that Russia will do anything that is injurious to our security interest and injurious to our national interest," Akbar said at a press conference, when asked what Russia's relationship with Pakistan meant for India.
The minister pointed out that the high-level meetings between Moscow and New Delhi, which took place four to five times a year, signified the importance of the relationship to both sides.
"Our relationship with Russia has stood the test of time and we are absolutely confident that it will stand the test of the future," Akbar said.
Akbar also mentioned the meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Goa in October 2016, when a deal on the deliveries of S-400 Triumf air defense systems was signed.
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