New Delhi, 3 March 2023 (TDI): Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s Foreign Minister, participated at the recent G20 Foreign Ministers conference, in India. During the summit, the Russian Foreign Minister had significant discussions with other heads of foreign affairs.
He also attended the Tolstoy-Gandhi exhibition in New Delhi during the G20 meeting. He emphasized the need to study the rich legacies of public figures and moral leaders.
He expressed his excitement at the opening ceremony of an exhibition honoring the famous Russian writer Leo Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi, a historic moment for Russia and India.
Lavrov stressed the ideas of equality and rejection of colonialism that united Leo Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi despite living hundreds of kilometers apart.
According to Foreign Minister, Tolstoy’s justice and love inspired Gandhi’s non-violent campaign against British colonialism and India’s independence.
He appreciated India’s G20 presidency and its theme of national unity and a shared future for humanity, which connects with Tolstoy and Gandhi’s ideology.
Lavrov commended India’s determination to promote genuine multilateralism and build a more just and democratic world order.
Lavrov complimented India for creating the G20 exhibit highlighting the group members’ literary and publishing accomplishments.
He stressed that enhancing intercultural discussion inside the G20 framework would contribute to the shared search for practical answers to current difficulties.
Lavrov concluded by highlighting the expansion of cultural ties between Russia and India, where Indian readers are interested in Russian literature, and Russian readers are interested in Indian culture.
Russia at G20 Summit
The G20 Summit is a global assembly of the world’s most powerful economies, including the European Union (EU). It was created in 1999 to debate and coordinate strategies for maintaining global financial stability.
Russia is a member of the G20 and has contributed significantly to the organization over time. Its G20 Summit presence is noteworthy because it is the largest country by landmass and economy.
Russia has actively participated in the forum. It has contributed to various debates and activities to encourage commerce growth, financial stability, and global collaboration.
Russia has used the G20 forum to advance its economic objectives, including more trade and investment, lower financial risks, and improved infrastructure.
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The country has also been a major supporter of a multipolar world order. It has sought to promote more inclusive and representative global economic governance. Russia advocated for and justified its invasion of Ukraine during the G20 summit.
Russian officials claimed that the Russian government considers that the current situation in Ukraine endangers the safety and well-being of the region’s Russian-speaking populations.
The Ukrainian government has been involved in a campaign of discrimination and oppression against ethnic Russians and has been unable to engage in genuine conversation or compromise.
Russia has safeguarded its citizens and national security interests in response to these concerns.
Russia- India Ties
Since the 1950s, Russia and India have enjoyed a solid strategic partnership based on mutual trust, respect, and collaboration in defense, energy, space, and culture.
Both countries have often declared their desire to strengthen bilateral connections and have signed several accords. Russia has also supported India’s bid for a permanent United Nations Security Council seat.
India is one of the biggest purchasers of Russian military hardware. Russia is a significant energy supplier to India.
At the G20 Summit, India and Russia collaborated on various projects, including efforts to restructure the global financial architecture, boost trade and investment, and promote sustainable development.
