US Should Rethink Russian Sanctions as It Inflicts Pain in Global South, Indian Academic Says

The US and some of its western allies imposed severe sanctions against Russia in response to Moscow's special military operation in Ukraine. New Delhi declined to observe the western sanctions, saying Russia is India’s “steady and time-tested partner”, defending the 20-fold increase in India’s oil imports from Russia this year.

Dr Sandeep Tripathi, Founder and President of the Delhi-based Forum for Global Studies, talked to Sputnik about the outcome of the Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar's recently concluded visit to Moscow.

Sputnik: How has Russia emerged as the top source of crude oil to India amid the sanction politics of western countries?

Sandeep Tripathi: We know that western countries have been trying to hurt the Russian economy through 'Sanction Politics'. But India and Russia have shown their commitment and level of confidence to boost trade volumes in terms of oil supply. And both have specific reservations to promote oil trade.

External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar reiterated that India, as the third-largest oil consumer in the world, needs discounted oil. And if Russia provides it then it is a win-win situation for both.

From the Russian perspective, we know it is a petro-based economy which is looking for reliability of sustained demand. India fulfills this requirement and has emerged as a reliable and time-tested partner in terms of energy.

Sputnik: How do you describe the 'reliable' and 'time-tested' partners tag on India-Russia relationship?

Sandeep Tripathi: It is vital for us to understand how both countries share their core concerns and what are win-win areas for both the countries.

In 1971, the way the Soviet Union extended unflinching support to India laid the foundations for reliability between both countries.

In 2000, Vladimir Putin laid the foundations for a special strategic partnership and it was subsequently enhanced to a special and privileged partnership in 2010.

So, on core strategic issues, both the countries have shown maturity. For instance, on the issue of China, Russia has always maintained a very delicate line, not getting too close to China at the expense of India.

During the 2020 border crisis between India and China, Moscow clearly conveyed a message to Beijing that it should be resolved by dialogue. Russia showed its commitment to defuse the tensions between India and China.

On the Kashmir issue, Russia has always extended unflinching support and maintained that this is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan.

Similarly, when western countries asked about India’s stance on Russia's military operation in Ukraine, India repeatedly conveyed that it is on the side of peace. [At the same time] New Delhi has urged Russia and Ukraine to return to the negotiation table.

So, India is not following the western countries' approach to the Ukrainian crisis. And New Delhi is quite sensitive about the core security issue of Russia.

Sputnik: How do you view Jaishankar’s visit to Moscow and its strategic significance amid the Russia-Ukraine war?

Sandeep Tripathi: Jaishankar’s two-day Russian visit held its own significance in multiple angles in view of geo-politics.

India sent a strong message to the West that the world is not unipolar and Jaishankar’s visit should not be the point of discussions for anyone.

Western countries have been trying to isolate Russia at the global forum. But New Delhi has never followed their approach. India has set its own narrative to look at global order and diluted the binary politics of the global order.

Second, this visit also set the tone of the global order with New Delhi indicating that it would follow issue-based alignment.

Sputnik: US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has arrived in India days after the Jaishankar-Lavrov meeting. Do you think the US will continue trying to convert India on the price capping of Russian oil? What do you anticipate from this visit?

Sandeep Tripathi: I would like to remind you of the US NSA’s visit this summer. When Dilip Singh visited New Delhi and tried to put pressure on India on the issue of voting at the UN.

So, this is nothing new. If any US leader visits New Delhi, they will try to put pressure on India. Janet Yellen will also try to put pressure on the issue of capping prices of Russian oil.

But, ahead of her visit, we sent a very clear message to the US that importing oil from Russia is a win-win situation for India and this is a natural convergence of interests.

So, India has indicated its deep commitment over the issue of international law-based order while urging Moscow to respect sovereignty and territorial integrity. But at the same time it will continue to prioritize its national interests.

Sputnik: Did western sanctions against Russia backfire, as India and several other developing and under-developed countries raised the issue of food and fuel crises at every forum?

Sandeep Tripathi: The entire Global South is facing a deep crisis in terms of food security and energy security because of western sanctions against Russia.

I think it is very, very important for the US leadership to rethink its sanction politics and to rethink its approach on the Ukrainian crisis.

It is very interesting that India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman indicated that India would raise the sanctions issue during the forthcoming G-20 summit.

Despite repeated requests from India, the US is not willing to return to dialogue with Russia because the US is actually economically benefitting from this crisis.