Rajnath, Russian defence minister hold talks on SCO sidelines

A statement issued by India said the two ministers discussed wide-ranging issues of bilateral defence cooperation, including military-to-military ties as well as industrial partnership.

“They also discussed the Russian defence industry’s participation in the ‘Make in India’ initiative and ways to provide further impetus to it,” the statement added.

The defence ministry said the two ministers also discussed matters of regional peace and security and expressed satisfaction over the continued trust and mutual respect between the two countries, particularly in defence.

They reiterated their commitment towards strengthening the partnership and acknowledged the “unique, long-lasting and time-tested relationship” between two countries, the statement added.

The meeting was held amid issues – such as delayed delivery of military hardware and spares from the Russian side and India’s inability to process Russian payments against weapons purchased due to sanctions imposed on Russia by the west – cropped up between the two countries.

Most of India’s military hardware is Russian-origin and India is trying to change this by opting to procure weapon systems and platforms from other countries as well as pushing its indigenous industry.

However, India and Russia continue to work jointly on several key projects to manufacture arms, including making AK-203 rifles in Amethi.

This is the Russian Defence Minister’s first visit to India since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict last year. His visit comes amid a series of high-level engagements between India and Russia, such as the visit of Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov for the 24th India-Russia talks.

Shoigu, in his address at the SCO meeting, said Washington and its enablers are pursuing their strategic agenda of provoking other countries into military confrontation with undesirable states, most notably Russia and China.

“The conflict in Ukraine is a clear demonstration of this criminal policy. Its real aim is to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia, threaten China, and maintain its monopoly position in the world,” he said.

Talking about the involvement of the military capabilities and capacities of almost all the NATO countries, he said, “We have repeatedly stressed that arms deliveries to Kiev only prolong the conflict, cause more casualties and destruction of infrastructure, and finally boomerang, affecting the stability of Europe and the world as a whole.”

He added that the transferred weapons will end up in the hands of terrorist organisations through black markets, posing additional risks.

“Russia has been left with no option but to eliminate the threats emanating from Ukraine militarily. Our objectives are clear, and they will be achieved within the special military operation,” he said.

He further said the West’s countermeasures for developing multilateralism could be evidently observed in the Asia–Pacific region.

“There, the US paved the way to disintegration of the existing regional security system with the ASEAN member-states’ key role. Military and political alliances, such as QUAD and AUKUS, initiated similar countermeasures,” he said, adding that NATO wanted to establish dominance in the Asia–Pacific region, that is why QUAD and AUKUS is being integrated with NATO.

He said the tension around the “so-called Taiwan problem” is purposely being escalated, and territorial disputes in the South China Sea and East China Sea are being flared up.

He also proposed developing an information exchange mechanism concerning military security within the SCO and deepening military cooperation with an emphasis on joint exercises and other combat training activities among others.

Singh on Friday also held bilateral meetings with Minister of Defence of Uzbekistan Lieutenant General Bakhodir Kurbanov, Minister of Defence of Belarus Lieutenant General Victor Khrenin and Minister of Defence of Kyrgyzstan Lieutenant General Bekbolotov B Asankalievich. In the meetings, the entire gamut of defence cooperation with the three countries was reviewed, with a focus on identifying beneficial avenues for furthering bilateral ties, the defence ministry said, adding that issues of mutual interest were also discussed.