New Delhi will continue its long-standing friendship with Russia despite Western pressure, Jaiveer Shergill has said

India will not "bow down" to the West on a range of issues from security to trade, Jaiveer Shergill, spokesperson for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has said in a conversation with Bollywood actor Anupam Kher on RT's Talking Bharat show.

The era of subservience is a thing of the past for India, and a new era of mutual respect and cooperation has begun, Shergill said. He added that experts who predicted that India will align with one particular bloc or another are out of touch with the times.

"When it comes to international alignments, India has always charted its own course and as a nation, India is clear that it will walk with its friends, but will not bow down to anyone," Shergill stated.

His comments come as the geopolitical landscape undergoes a significant shift, with the Global South emerging as a crucial player in international decision-making, according to experts.

"New York or Brussels" will no longer be "sole decision makers," said Shergill, adding that capitals such as New Delhi and Nairobi are important stakeholders with a significant say in global affairs.

The BJP spokesperson also discussed the relationship with Russia, describing it as time-tested and referring to the two countries as all-weather friends. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Moscow last year, Shergill said that the hug with Russian President Vladimir Putin was symbolic of deep friendship, warmth, and a bright future together.

Putin is slated to make an officialvisitto India later this year, and preparations for the event are already underway, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently said.

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(RT.com)