India's Russia envoy reveals taking Sputnik V vaccine; affirms India-Russia strategic ties

Highlighting the importance of military-technical cooperation between New Delhi and Moscow, India's Ambassador to Russia Bala Venkatesh Varma during an interview with Russian news agency TASS on Wednesday said that India has an independent policy and makes every decision in the military sphere in accordance with the interests of its defence and national security. 

Indian envoy Bala Venkatesh Varma said, "India-Russia ties go back decades. This is one of the pillars of our strategic partnership. India also has a global strategic partnership with the US. New Delhi's relations with each country are independent. India has an independent policy, and we make every decision in the military sphere in accordance with the interests of our defence and national security."

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'India-Russia ties go back decades..'

While replying to the question of possible US sanctions over the purchase of S-400s, the Indian envoy said, "All our partners are aware of India's defence policy and needs." Varma said that it should not be a surprise that India is making decisions on its defence policy independently, in accordance with its own needs in defence and security. 

Speaking on the Russian Sputnik V clinical trials taking place in India, he said that Sputnik V vaccine is already well known and it has completed its second stage of clinical trials and the third stage of trials have already begun. Revealing that he has received his first dose of the Sputnik V vaccine last week, Varma said that the vaccine approval process will take another couple of weeks. 

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Indian ambassador to Russia said, "Many of my colleagues at the embassy have also been vaccinated, and many are going to do so. Over the annual Russian-Indian summit not being held last year. There is an agreement between the two countries that President Putin will visit India to participate in the bilateral summit, which could not be held in 2020 for the only reason -- the COVID-19 situation."

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Asserting that as soon as the epidemic situation settles down, the Indian ambassador to Russia informed that both the nations will agree on a specific date for the visit. On the USD 1 billion credit line extended by India for the development of the Far East, envoy Varma said that this is an unprecedented case as India for the first time is providing preferential credit line to its business partners for cooperation with Russian colleagues in the Far East. he also mentioned that USD 1 billion credit line is highly important. 

Commenting upon chairing the BRICS summit, Varma said that India as chairman of the BRICS, as always, want to consolidate the association as a key international platform for cooperation in a multipolar world in order to change the situation in the economic and health after the pandemic. "India also wants to strengthen the synergy of contacts between people," he added. 

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(With ANI inputs)