International Cooperation

India downplays Russia-Pakistan energy deal

PTI | Dec 26, 2014, 09.43 PM IST

Foreign ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said India and Russia have a strategic and privileged relationship and Moscow won't do anything that will hurt India's security concerns. 

NEW DELHI: India on Friday downplayed the Russia-Pakistan energy deal worth $1.7 billion, saying Moscow has assured that it will not do anything that will adversely impact the country's security interests.

When asked about the deal, external affairs ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said India and Russia have a strategic and privileged relationship.

"India and Russia have just concluded a very very successful summit where we have been assured that nothing that Russia does will adversely impact on our security interest.

"Therefore we are confident that our concerns on this matter are understood well by our Russian friends and they will not do anything that adversely impinges on us," he said.

For the first time, Pakistan and Russia have signed an energy deal worth $1.7 billion to lay a gas pipeline from Karachi to Lahore. Pakistan and Russia on November 20 had signed a military cooperation agreement to deepen their defence ties. 

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-downplays-Russia-Pakistan-energy-deal/articleshow/45653303.cms