United States Deputy National Security Advisor Daleep Singh, the prime architect of the sanctions imposed on Russia, said there will be “consequences” for countries that “actively attempt to bypass the sanctions” only hours before Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov landed in Delhi.
Daleep Singh is the latest in a long line of Western leaders and officials who have travelled to New Delhi in the hopes of persuading the Indian government to modify its stance on the Ukraine issue and put pressure on Russia to end the conflict.
He arrived a day before Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who will meet with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday. In response to a question about India’s recent decision to accept Russia’s offer of discounted crude oil, he said.
“What we would not like to see is a rapid acceleration of India’s imports from Russia as it relates to energy or any other any other exports that are currently being prohibited by the US or by other aspects of the international sanctions regime.”
“No one should kid themselves — Russia is going to be the junior partner in this relationship with China. And the more leverage that China gains over Russia, the less favourable that is for India,” he said. “I don’t think anyone would believe that if China once again breached the Line of Actual Control, Russia would come running in India’s defence.
And so that’s the context in which we really want the democracies across the world and specifically, the Quad to come together and voice your shared interests and your shared concerns about the developments in Ukraine and the implications.”
He went on to say that the US is willing to assist India in diversifying its energy supply as well as its military gear, but that this will be a lengthy process. “The dialogue I’ve had here is that we stand ready to assist India in diversifying its energy resources, much like we stand ready to assist India in diversifying its defence resources over time,” he said.
Singh accused Putin of violating the core principles that underpin global peace and security – “the principle that you can’t redraw borders by force, the principle that you can’t subjugate the will of the free people, that countries have the right to set their own course” – and that this could serve as a warning to “autocrats all over the world” who want to exert their own sphere of influence.
“We are quite keen for all countries, especially our allies and partners, not to build systems that prop up the ruble and attempt to undermine the dollar-based financial system,” Singh said, emphasizing that “friends don’t set red lines.””The objective of these penalties is to change the strategic calculus to convey plainly that if he continues to pursue this wasteful, illegal, unprovoked war of aggression, it will be a strategic failure.
” Singh said in support of the measures. He outlined “five channels of sanctions”, including imposing immediate and acute costs on Russia’s largest banks and central bank; cutting off necessary technologies; revoking MFN status and denying Russia IMF and World Bank borrowing privileges; holding to account the Russian Kleptocracy; and downgrading Russia’s status as a leading energy supplier.
Published By : Ankit Singh
Edited By : Khushi Thakur
