Ambassador Denis Alipov has lauded New Delhi’s decision not to take sides, and said Moscow is open to peace proposals
India’s decision to maintain a “neutral stance” on the Ukraine conflict was the right decision, Russian envoy Denis Alipov has said. He praised New Delhi’s “consistent approach” and its attitude toward dialogue and diplomacy in an interview with News18 on Thursday.
“I believe that India has taken the right approach by not siding with any one party. Especially avoiding siding with the belligerent party, which in this case, is represented by Europe,” Alipov said.
The ambassador also suggested Russia may be open to any Indian proposals for a peace plan, pointing out that the Narendra Modi-led government has “maintained contacts with all parties, shown goodwill, and demonstrated a positive intention toward peaceful resolution through diplomatic means.”
“So far, India has not put forward a formal plan, but it has shown willingness to be helpful. We support that, but at the moment, our focus is on dialogue with the US, which remains a decisive party in this process,” Alipov added.
When asked about the ongoing talks with Washington, the envoy noted that this process “will be very cautious on both ends and probably not very quick,” adding, however, that it is a positive development. He noted that the administration of US President Donald Trump “is prepared not only to listen but to hear, and is prepared to sit and talk on the basis of mutual respect.”“This dialogue aims to find a solution beneficial to both sides and bring the peace process in Europe closer. We have just started, and Ukraine is not the only issue at hand. We have said that we need to first re-establish direct contact between Russia and the US,” Alipov stated.
The envoy also emphasized that despite Russia being targeted by sanctions from the US and its allies, its economic cooperation with New Delhi and bilateral trade has expanded tremendously. “Trade reached $66 billion last year. It has increased manifold, mainly due to Russian exports of oil, but not only that. We have substantially increased supplies of fertilizers, agricultural products, coal, and petrochemical products. Indian exports to Russia are also growing – they increased by 23% over 11 months last year,” he said.
India has walked a diplomatic tightrope in the Ukraine conflict, maintaining close contacts with the US and Europe while expanding its strategic partnership with Russia, which has emerged as its largest oil supplier. Alipov recognized India’s approach to finding the most cost-effective sources of oil and gas and noted that Russia has been a reliable and affordable energy provider.
Alipov also emphasized strong cooperation between the two countries in defense, stressing that Russia offers a cost-effective and high-quality alternative to US equipment. Acknowledging India’s focus on domestic manufacturing, the envoy noted Russia was the first to introduce co-production and technology transfer with India.
Nuclear energy is another area where the two countries have been working together extensively, and which has been “very beneficial to both countries,” the diplomat said. Alipov added that Moscow is looking forward to expanding nuclear construction in India, including smaller modular reactors
