NEW DELHI, November 20. /TASS/. India firmly resists the West’s pressure to undermine established Russian-Indian relations and impose its position on key global issues, Russia’s ambassador to India, Denis Alipov, has told TASS.

"We deeply appreciate New Delhi’s principled stance and constructive approach on numerous international issues, notably its balanced position regarding the Ukrainian crisis. India stands as a leader in the Global South - a major power pursuing an independent foreign policy. Its resilience enables it to withstand pressure from Western nations while continuing fruitful cooperation with us, all the while steadfastly upholding principles of strategic autonomy and free trade," he said.

At the same time, according to Alipov, the West, "acting from a neo-colonialist perspective, continues to overlook the evolving realities, including the demands of influential developing economies for a just and multipolar world order."

"Underestimating India's growing influence - destined to become the world's third-largest economy in the coming years - is a significant miscalculation," he emphasized.

Furthermore, Alipov highlighted that India does not recognize illegitimate unilateral sanctions imposed in bypass of the UN Security Council. "They understand clearly that such restrictions erode trust in Western trade and financial systems, prompting independent actors to pursue alternative mechanisms. We see promising opportunities in fully harnessing the potential of alliances like BRICS and the SCO," the ambassador remarked.

Alipov reaffirmed Russia’s support for India’s chairmanship of BRICS in 2026 and expressed a commitment to productive collaboration. "We welcome New Delhi’s efforts to expand existing initiatives, including cooperation through the New Development Bank, as well as Russian-led projects on cross-border payments, depository and clearing infrastructure, reinsurance mechanisms, new investment platforms, and a BRICS grain exchange. Our shared objective is to provide developing nations with alternative, mutually beneficial options - free from politicization, double standards, and interference in their domestic affairs."

Regarding the prospects of revitalizing the Russia-India-China (RIC) format, Alipov noted that India and China are making significant strides to resolve bilateral disagreements, including border issues.

"Moscow remains a steadfast supporter of the full normalization of relations between New Delhi and Beijing. We believe that increased engagement across various formats, including RIC, will foster mutual trust by uncovering new points of convergence. The success of regional stability efforts in Eurasia - especially through initiatives like the Greater Eurasian Partnership - depends heavily on this, as they aim to deliver shared benefits for all nations and regional associations," Alipov concluded.