Russia Offers Counter-Terror Assistance To India Even As It Calls For Restraint

India’s old strategic partner Russia has extended support to Delhi’s counter-terror measures as right to self-defence in the wake of Pulwama attack and offered to boost the Modi government’s capabilities to fight extremism and terrorism.

The two sides have been engaged in a number of high-level consultations since 2014.

While Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj met her Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday in China, NSA Ajit Doval and his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev have been in touch at regular interval over the past two weeks.

ET has learnt that Russia has supported India’s right to self-defence against terror attacks and have extended support to strengthen counter-terror capabilities. Last week Russian Deputy NSA visited Delhi to hold discussions on the post-Pulwama situation.

In his meeting with Swaraj, Lavrov expressed hope for a de-escalation of the situation between India and Pakistan.

“We express our serious concern about the exacerbation of the situation along the Line of Control between India and Pakistan and the outbreak of tensions. We call on both sides to show restraint and step up efforts to resolve existing problems by political and diplomatic means,” the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

“We are ready to further assist in strengthening the counter-terrorism potential of New Delhi,” the ministry added.

Meanwhile Russian Senator Konstantin Kosachev who heads Foreign Relations Committee has offered Russian mediation to deescalate tension between India and Pakistan.

Source: ET

Image Courtesy: HT