Summary Ryabkov says he doesn't think India should be bothered with improving ties between Pakistan, Russia
LAHORE: (Web Desk, Dunya News) – Russian Deputy Foreign Minister (FM) Sergei Ryabkov on Thursday termed Pakistan as Russia’s ‘closest partner’. He said that he didn’t think that improving military cooperation between Moscow and Islamabad would negatively impact Russia’s relations with India, reported Dunya News.
Pakistan and Russia are in talks about Russian fighter jets Sukhoi Su-35 and have already signed agreements on the delivery of Mi-35M helicopters. Ryabkov said, “I do not think that the contacts under discussion will cause jealousy on the part of any of the two sides”. He said that the two countries have also made headways in other sectors as well, including energy.
Discussing the deal and the remarks by the Russian Deputy FM, revered analyst Mujeeb ur-Rehman Shami said that Pakistan and Russia signed a very important deal in November last year that aimed at improving military-to-military relations. He said that the relations between Pakistan and the former Soviet Union had never been good. “During the Cold War, Russia was Indian ally. But the global situation has changed now. Now India and the United States of America (USA) are quite close to each other while Pakistan and Russia are considered closer to each other. We have had our differences but the things are changing now”, he said.
Shami explained the deal saying that if a person is standing with his back towards New Delhi then Pakistan is militarily and population-wise the second largest country of this region after Russia. He added that this cooperation between Pakistan and Russia is indicating towards a new era of cooperation in the region while this collaboration also enjoys China’s patronage.
Shami was talking to Ajmal Jami on Dunya News’ program ‘Nuqta-e-Nazar’.
