Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has pledged that agreements on energy supplies to India will be fulfilled despite what he described as unfair external competition, while underlining that relations between the two countries are rooted in friendship.
In an interview with RT India ahead of his visit to New Delhi this week, Lavrov said Russia has never failed to fulfil its obligations to India on energy supplies.
“I can guarantee that India’s interests, as they relate to Russian supplies, will not suffer. We will do everything to ensure that this unfair and dishonest competition does not damage our agreements,” he said.
“The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant is our flagship project. It meets a significant share of India’s needs,” he added. “Cooperation on the construction of new power units for this nuclear plant is continuing. We also continue supplying hydrocarbons such as gas, oil and coal.”
The Kudankulam nuclear power plant is being built in Tamil Nadu with Russian technical assistance. Construction began in March 2002, and the first power unit has been operating at its design capacity of 1,000 MW since February 2016.
The plant is expected to operate at full capacity in 2027, according to Russian state media.
Lavrov also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing him as “one of the most energetic leaders”.
Lavrov said India-Russia relations are based on friendship and that there is no possibility of the two countries drifting apart.
“A situation where our paths diverge simply does not exist — it is unthinkable,” he said.
Referring to the slogan “Hindi-Rusi bhai bhai” (Indians and Russians are brothers), Lavrov said cultural, economic and strategic ties between the two countries remain strong.
During his visit to India, Lavrov will hold talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and attend the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said the two sides would discuss trade, energy cooperation, transport and logistics links, and collaboration in science and space technology.
