New Delhi [India], May 4 : External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasised the need for a realistic approach in India's relations with Russia and the US at the Arctic Circle India Forum 2025.
Speaking at the Arctic Circle India Forum 2025 on Sunday, he advocated for "Russia realism" and "America realism," highlighting the importance of engaging with both countries based on mutual interests.
Jaishankar said, "Where Russia is concerned, we have always taken a view. There's a Russian realism that we have advocated. When passions were very high in 2022 and 2023, if one looks back at that period, the predictions and scenarios that were put forward have turned out not to be well-founded."
"We are not necessarily taking the case of one party or the other; international relations are conducted on the basis of some fundamental realism, and that realism requires an engagement with Russia," he added.
Regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Jaishankar stated that India is open to helping but has avoided prescribing solutions. "If there is any way we can be of any help, we have always been very open about it. Having said that, we have also been very careful not to prescribe a solution. We have not told one or the other party to do this or do that," he said.
Jaishankar also mentioned the upcoming Quad meeting, which will focus on the Indo-Pacific region.
"When the Quad meets, which is expected to do later this year, the Quad will be essentially focused on the Indo-Pacific, the Indo-Pacific is a very interesting region because it points in different directions," he said.
He also emphasised the importance of finding mutual interests rather than focusing on ideological differences. "Just like I'm an advocate of Russia realism, I'm also an advocate of American realism. I think the best way to engage today's America is also through finding mutuality of interest rather than putting ideological differences upfront and then allowing it to cloud the possibilities of working together," he said.