Russian President Vladimir Putin, in an exclusive interview with India Today, addresses critical geopolitical and economic issues ahead of his visit to New Delhi. Speaking to Foreign Affairs Editor Geeta Mohan, Putin emphasizes Russia's neutrality in India-China tensions, stating, "India and China are our closest friends... I do not believe we have the right to interfere." He reveals a significant policy directive to address the trade imbalance, noting his "direct instruction" to the Russian government to identify more Indian goods for purchase. Putin also declares India a "full ally" in the fight against terrorism and discusses the recognition of the Taliban in Afghanistan as a strategic necessity. The interview covers BRICS, the use of national currencies, and the emerging multipolar world order.
00:02Number one, you're saying that countries like India,
00:04whose growth rate is far exceeding a lot of European countries,
00:07need to just calm down and understand how things are moving.
00:09The other thing you say is that organizations like probably G7
00:13are losing their relevance and what do I do there if they don't want to talk to me.
00:17But the third thing also you mentioned is BRICS.
00:19Now my question to you, sir, is,
00:22is there a new world order falling in place?
00:25Because you're not going to G7, but you just visited China
00:28and you're about to visit India.
00:31Russia, India, China.
00:33RIC, BRICS, SEO, Global South.
00:39What do you see as a new power center in the multipolar world?
00:51You asked whether the world is changing and a new order is forming.
00:55The world changes constantly.
00:58Everything flows.
00:59Kung to fluent.
01:00The pace of change varies, but the world always evolves.
01:10Nowadays, this rate of change is fast, indeed very high.
01:14We can see it, we can feel it, I've already said that.
01:17And primarily, we're witnessing the global economic processes unfolding.
01:22These processes aren't linked to events in Ukraine or other hotspots.
01:27They're just happening generally.
01:29We could talk about this for hours, and I'd be happy to discuss it with you,
01:34but our viewers might grow tired from such discussions.
01:37One fact remains, however.
01:50New centers of growth are emerging of rapid, strong growth.
01:54These include countries of the global south, notably South Asia, India, and Indonesia,
02:00which has nearly 300 million people and is rising quickly.
02:04Of course, it's not one and a half billion people living there, like in India,
02:09but still, these are very rapidly developing countries.
02:14Let me say it again.
02:15Africa is already advancing swiftly and will accelerate even more.
02:20With its young population, these countries would be our future.
02:25They'll strive toward higher living standards, which is inevitable.
02:28In the future, rates of change in the global economy will continue to accelerate steadily and significantly.
02:45By the way, we often hear that Russia recently recalibrated its relationship with the global south and Asia.
02:52That's not true, because we've been doing so since the early 2000s.
02:57This picture we wanted to show the President, because President Sir, this picture actually ruffled a lot of feathers across the world.
03:04The Russian Petraia.
03:05Putin, Xi Jinping, and Narendra Modi.
03:09Three nation heads together.
03:12And people were going all over social media and America.
03:16But even if we look at that picture, President Sir, how do you have these alternative blocks?
03:22And how can they become a real force if there are fundamental unresolved issues between key member states in that block?
03:30Well, you know, conflicts are always there, but when did they become a real force if there was no conflict at all?
03:47You know, conflicts always exist.
03:48But tell me what period of history there was no conflict at all?
03:51Let's take a look at the historical development of major world centers or regions.
03:57Wherever we point our finger in time, we will always find a conflict somewhere.
04:03Though the point is elsewhere.
04:05It's about finding solutions to these conflicts, seeking most effective ways to resolve them.
04:10In large alliances like BRICS or the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, we share a common understanding that we have common values rooted in our traditional beliefs,
04:29which underpin our civilizations, such as India's civilization, for already hundreds, if not thousands of years.
04:38Drawing on this heritage of the past, we work together instead of suppressing opportunities.
04:44When efforts are combined, the resulting synergy turns out unexpectedly strong and high.
04:50We never set out to come up with the ways of to deceive, outsmart or hinder someone's development.
05:08Nothing like that has ever happened.
05:11We always focus only on positive agendas.
05:15I believe that's important.
05:16There was not a single time when we got together to find a way of trying to dupe someone or, you know, printing someone's development.
05:28Our agenda is always of a positive nature.
05:31And I think this is important.
05:34Okay.
05:34So that's an important answer.
05:35But are there alternatives?
05:37Because the biggest thing when you have these blocks is how do you make it economically viable?
05:42Are we looking at alternative payment systems?
05:45Is there going to be a BRICS currency?
05:48Or are we looking at alternative payments in terms of national currencies?
05:52Rupi, ruble?
05:53Moving towards de-dollarization, basically.
05:57You know, there is no rush in this.
06:04Festi na lente, and you'll avoid big mistakes.
06:07For instance, we're talking about Europe.
06:09They set up the euro system and dragged in there certain countries that weren't economically ready for one single strong currency.
06:17And now they're dealing with some difficult social matters.
06:21There's more than just playing around with inflation there, right?
06:24This question is far more complex than just tinkering with inflation a little bit and calling it done.
06:32Their entire economy is tied to just one stable currency.
06:36Therefore, social problems arise and budgetary issues emerge.
06:40Right now, we don't aim at having a single currency within BRICS.
06:46In this process, there is no rush anywhere, and we aren't rushing either.
06:51There is a need to expand the use of national currencies.
06:54You mentioned this already.
06:56We must make better use of the BRICS new development bank's opportunities.
07:00For example, we propose creating a new investment platform using electronic payments with an additional capital of $100 billion to encourage joint investments both in our economies and those of developing nations in the global south.
07:17I believe this could be a very appealing option because these investments would help us, and they would also benefit the recipient countries,
07:25since together we would produce high-quality goods at reasonable prices.
07:30These products could help the countries of the global south to develop further, while also advancing our own growth.
07:48There will be more and more tools like this.
07:51Modern payment systems and digital money exist already, and they are evolving rapidly.
07:59And for us, this is definitely not about working against anyone.
08:03We see it more as refining tools that are already widely used worldwide.
08:12What is the roadblock in the rupee-ruble payment here, then?
08:15There are no obstacles here.
08:24We understand and give us a sense of that we have a certain imbalance in trade.
08:29But, let's say, India's government does not put restrictions on the market.
08:35Why?
08:36There are no obstacles here.
08:38These are purely economic issues.
08:41We fully understand and realize that we do have a certain trade imbalance.
08:46However, India's government does not impose restrictions on our mutual trade.
08:51Why?
08:52Because they need both oil and petroleum products.
08:56The Indian government needs to expand its purchases of Russian fertilizers, because these are crucial for Indian farmers.
09:04And Prime Minister Modi constantly raises this issue.
09:08Please increase the volume of deliveries.
09:11The issue is entirely different.
09:13It's not about rupees.
09:15It's about what those rupees can buy, respectively, for our companies.
09:19We're also thinking about this.
09:22Not only the Indian government, but we also do.
09:25And we agree that this disparity must be addressed, but not through bans, rather by finding areas beneficial for both sides.
09:34Therefore, during my visit and at our initiative, there will be an exhibition showcasing our importers from India.
09:42I want to share with you something completely candidly.
09:45This was my direct instruction to the government of Russia, which is to consider what else we could purchase from India.
09:53We're considering this matter together, including from the perspective of the Russian Federation.
09:58We could buy in India.
10:02We think about this.
10:04On both sides, especially from the Russian Federation.
10:07That's an incredible move, if it goes forward.
10:10My next question to you, sir, before we move to other issues, is how do you balance, I'm going to ask that directly, how do you balance India and China?
10:21Because it is very clear that you're keen on good relations with both these countries.
10:26How do you balance them?
10:27Seeing some tensions between us.
10:30We know this very well, India and China are our closest friends, we treasure that relationship deeply, and I do not believe we have the right to interfere in your bilateral relations.
10:47But I know that both Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping are committed to finding solutions to all issues, even to the most complex interstate problems.
10:57I know about it, because both Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping see that some specific tension is rising, and they both try to find solutions to these issues, exerting maximum effort.
11:11I know this well, and I can see it clearly.
11:14And the key reason why they would succeed would be their wisdom, which we appreciate immensely.
11:21At the same time, Russia does not feel entitled to intervene, because these are your bilateral affairs.
11:29The next important issue with regard to India, sir, is terrorism.
11:44We face two major terror attacks, one in Pehelgao, and then one in Delhi.
11:49My question to you is that we see a dual ideology on terror in the world from different countries.
11:56What is the solution in your eyes, because Russia has also faced terrorism, India faces it.
12:02What in your eyes is the solution to your terrorist, my freedom fighter ideology?
12:09It's very simple. To achieve freedom, we must use lawful means only.
12:21Any actions involving criminal methods or those harming people cannot be supported.
12:27This has been decided long ago.
12:29As you have correctly noted, Russia has repeatedly faced acts of extreme terrorism throughout its recent history.
12:36In these matters, India is our full ally, and we completely support India's fight against terrorism.
12:43Right. Okay. But there's another country in the neighborhood, very important, important to Russia, important to India, Afghanistan.
13:04You are a very rare country to have recognized the Taliban regime.
13:09What made you really look at that as a strategic interest to recognize the Taliban at a time when the world is still saying they have not given equal rights to women,
13:21where there are still a lot of issues with Afghanistan actually coming to becoming a country that holds women and men equally.
13:30And there are many other human rights issues there.
13:35In every country there are enough problems.
13:38And Afghanistan is not an exception, considering that for decades this country has been embroiled in a civil war.
13:45It's just horrible.
13:47But the Taliban clearly controls the situation in Afghanistan, and this is evident.
13:52Here's what needs to be said first, and you have to accept it because it's reality.
13:57Secondly, what's important to note is that the Afghan government takes many actions to combat terrorism and various terrorist organizations, including ISIL and others like them.
14:09This we also know very well.
14:12Afghan authorities have significantly reduced opium production in their country and are actively addressing drug threats from within its borders.
14:21There are several other important issues here.
14:24The main point is that in order to influence events happening in the country, you must stay in contact with the current leadership there.
14:32Exactly what we are doing.
14:34They are taking active steps to reduce narco threats from the territory of Afghanistan.
14:42There are also some other circumstances.
14:44And the main point is that in order to influence the process, you must be in contact, you must be working.
14:53That's what we are doing.
14:55The foreign minister of Afghanistan was in India, this I'm just sharing the snippet.
15:02He was in India, and we weren't allowed, women weren't allowed to attend the press conference.
15:08And we fought back, and then he had to hold a press conference with women as part of that entire delegation.
15:15Isn't that interesting?
15:16I was just sharing it with you.
15:18There is truth in what you say, but on the other hand, if he hadn't come here,
15:23you wouldn't have had any chance to influence these events at all.
15:27And now you've got both connections and the minister who has arrived.
15:31You were able to express your reaction to what happened.
15:34How do we measure whether that's little or much?
15:37It seems to me that at least this is the part of your influence and your partner's influence on the situation.
15:44But imagine there were no contacts at all.
15:47Then what?
15:48Everything remains exactly as before.
15:51And nobody, including yourself, would influence anything or express any opinion about this.
15:57In contrast, now such an opportunity is available to you.
16:01Contacts are better than no contacts at all.
16:05Pushing for change is equally important as you make a very valid answer.
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