West must not view India and China through colonial lens – Putin

Russian president urges Western nations to abandon outdated colonial attitudes when engaging with Asia’s largest powers

Russian President Vladimir Putin has cautioned that Western nations should not attempt to deal with India and China as if they were colonies, nor should they adopt a threatening or domineering tone while addressing the two Asian powers.

During a conversation with Russian journalists in Beijing on Wednesday, after participating in the 80th anniversary commemoration of the end of the Second World War, Putin underlined that both India and China have endured deep historical struggles, including colonial domination and extended assaults on their sovereignty.

“Events in Ukraine are being used merely as a pretext for resolving economic issues with some countries whose economic ties and advantages do not suit someone,” Putin remarked while responding to a question regarding the European Union’s upcoming 19th round of sanctions against Russia and its warnings directed at Moscow’s allies.

He emphasized the stature of the Asian giants, stating, “Countries like India – almost 1.5 billion people, and China – 1.3 billion people, boast powerful economies and live by their own domestic political laws. You know, when people from the outside say, ‘We are going to make things hard for you and punish you…’ How are the leaders of these countries – large economic powerhouses which have lived through very rough periods in their history, periods of colonialism and attacks on their sovereignty over a long historical period – supposed to react to that?”

According to Putin, if leaders in these nations were to compromise under such external pressure, they would face political ruin, recalling, “just as in the colonial era.” He further stressed that “talking to such partners in such a tone of voice is unacceptable.”

The Russian leader also pointed to current trade disputes, noting that the United States has enforced a 50% tariff on India, of which 25% is specifically linked to New Delhi’s continued import of Russian oil. Washington has frequently criticized India’s stance, with former US trade adviser Peter Navarro going so far as to brand the South Asian country the Kremlin’s “laundromat.”

Nevertheless, Putin voiced optimism that strained relations would eventually ease, expressing confidence that matters would “return to normal economic dialogue in the end.”

In response to questions about his private exchange with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inside his Aurus limousine following the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin earlier this week, Putin said he had shared details about his most recent discussions with former US President Donald Trump during their meeting in Alaska.

(From inputs of RT India)