‘Indo-Pacific Expansion Is Not To Isolate China’: Srivastava, India Foreign Minister

Last updated on February 21st, 2023 at 01:01 pm

Indo-Pacific Expansion: Russia has accused India of entering the Indo-Pacific group, as a way to cut out China and this has been encouraged solely by the Western countries. In its response, the Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava carefully explained India’s position. 

India entered the Indo-Pacific was its way on expanding its reach to newer countries around and improving its maritime abilities.  Referring to an official statement that Narendra Modi made in 2018, he said, “India had then stated clearly that it did not see the Indo-Pacific region as a strategy or as a club of limited members or as a grouping that seeks to dominate.”

Speaking over its relations with Kremlin, Srivastava further elaborated that the Special and Privileged Strategic Partner, shares good trade relations with India and should not feel India has any new card up its sleeve. 

Further, Srivastava quoted Mr. Modi and said that, “India has always pursued an independent foreign policy based on its national interest. India’s relationship with each country is independent of its relations with third countries. This rejected Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov’s contention that India was being drawn into joining a Western grouping against China.

Owing to Russia’s close relations with China, there is reason that Kremlin would want to make such open-ended accusations at India. 

Post the pandemic, the trust factor in Chinese dealings have been failing worldwide. India has pulled back investment and Chinese trade was plummeted thereafter. This is also due to the fact that China has been acting notorious around the Indo-China border giving the Centre reasons to secure its own regions and expand area of cooperation with other countries. 

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