SOCHI, September 30. /TASS/. India will not stop purchasing oil from strategic ally Russia even in the face of sanctions pressure from Western countries, Anil Trigunayat, Distinguished Fellow of the Vivekananda International Foundation, told reporters on the sidelines of the 22nd annual meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club.

He noted that despite the UN's authority to impose sanctions, unilateral economic pressure "not only harms trade, but is also generally illegal."

"India strongly opposes unilateral sanctions, so despite pressure [from Western countries], we will continue to purchase oil from Russia. And Russia, despite all the sanctions, remains our strong, trusted, and strategic partner," he said.

The expert pointed out that a new world order is currently emerging, replacing the unilateral system, but nevertheless "the world has yet to determine what exactly that will look like."

"India, China, and Russia should lead this process, and proponents of a unilateral approach will now seriously consider what they can do to oppose it," Trigunayat noted.

"Therefore, I think our countries need to continue working together, but we are certainly not in the anti-West camp," the expert concluded.

About the meeting

The 22nd annual meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club, titled "The Polycentric World: Instruction for Use," is underway in Sochi from September 29 to October 2. It brings together 140 participants from more than 40 countries. Experts from the United Kingdom, India, Germany, China, Malaysia, Pakistan, and South Africa will speak on the sidelines.

The organizers identified the main goal of the conference amid a new era of polycentricity as finding optimal solutions to avoid numerous risks and ways to maintain the stability of each individual state and the international system as a whole.