‘Indians love Russia’ – Bollywood star

Actor John Abraham has praised New Delhi for taking a “bold step” by refusing to join Western-led sanctions against Moscow

Indians have a great amount of love for Russia, Bollywood star John Abraham has said. He praised New Delhi for maintaining strong ties with Moscow despite Western pressure.

“Across the board, if you talk about Russia in India, we love Russia, we love Russians, and we love everything that is Russian,” Abraham told RT’s Oksana Boyko on the ‘Worlds Apart’ show.

Indian-Russian ties transcend political lines, according to the actor. “I’m not pro- or anti- the Indian government and don’t have any political inclinations. But I think we took a damn good stand and we’ve got a fantastic external affairs minister who goes out there and he speaks his mind on us (India) buying Russian oil, on why we need to do what we need to do, because we need to protect our country as well,” Abraham stated.

Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar has repeatedly defended New Delhi’s decision to increase oil purchases from Russia after the US and its allies slapped Moscow with unprecedented sanctions over the Ukraine conflict.

Abraham defended the choice to maintain strong ties with Russia, calling it the “best decision” and arguing that it was necessary to protect India’s interests and uphold its long-standing friendship with Moscow. 

The actor said Moscow’s emphasis on its sovereignty and its refusal to be influenced by Western powers has also made more Indians identify with Russia’s sentiments. “Both Russia and India, as well as other countries, may be sharing this sentiment, which involves recognizing and embracing their individual strengths and challenges,” he stated.

Abraham, whose father is of Syrian Christian heritage from the southern state of Kerala, and whose mother has Iranian Zoroastrian or Parsi roots, also touched upon India’s ability to accommodate diverse communities, citing his own minority status as a testament to this. “I’m probably…a shining example and I’m really proud of where my country is going and I’m a staunch believer in its future,” he said.

The actor also expressed a desire to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in person, saying: “I find him to be a strong personality and am curious to understand his thoughts and mindset, especially given the significant global pressure on him and his country.”

Putin has accepted an invitation from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make an official visit to the country later this year. Preparations for the event are underway, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.