Russian Ambassador to India, Denis Alipov addresses the media on the recently concluded BRICS Summit in Russia, in New Delhi on October 28, 2024.
| Photo Credit: ANI

The BRICS summit in Kazan has been a “total success”, said the Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov on Monday (October 28, 2024).

In an interaction with the media, the Russian envoy said the BRICS grouping represents “current realities” and pointed out that Indian banks are “over cautious” while dealing with Russian entities because of the threat of “secondary sanctions” from Western governments. He hit out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for criticising BRICS and described him as “delusional”.

“BRICS is not an exclusive but an inclusive platform. It is not anti-West or non-West formation. BRICS has become an indispensable framework for the emerging centres of power and keeps attracting more and more countries as a result of global turbulence and uncertainties,” said Ambassador Alipov informing that “more than forty countries have expressed interest in joining” BRICS.

Ambassador Alipov supported the prospects of BRICS and criticised Mr. Zelenskyy. Last week, President Zelenksyy had rejected UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ visit to Kyiv as he had participated in the BRICS meeting in Kazan.

After meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, Mr. Guterres had said, “We need peace in Ukraine. A just peace in line with the UN Charter, international law and General Assembly resolutions.” Mr. Zelenksy had described the Kazan summit as a “complete failure”.

During the briefing, Ambassador Alipov said, “The Ukrainian President has become completely delusional. He has very delusional views on many other accounts. But this is one of the topics on which he is absolutely wrong.”

Mr. Alipov’s briefing on the BRICS summit came days after the Kazan Declaration of the 16th BRICS summit gave out a detailed financial vision and held Israel responsible for the ongoing violence in Gaza Strip and Lebanon. He said the creation of a new category of partner-countries of BRICS is one of the major outcomes of the Kazan summit. “This step will definitely multiply the value of our diversified partnership and add to the forum’s global influence, which is now making a decisive contribution to the global food and energy security,” stated the Russian Ambassador explaining the impact of the new category of partner countries.

Ambassador Alipov presented the financial and commodities-related plans of the BRICS, and said the orgainsation plans to implement the Russian initiatives to create a grain trading platform within BRICS which will be known as the BRICS Grain Exchange. He mentioned the creation of an investment platform through strengthening the New Development Bank and study the feasibility of an electronic platform to settle cross-border trade in securities.

The envoy said that Indian banks are “over cautious” in dealing with Russia “over fears of western secondary sanctions” and said the sanctions could impact “Indian financial system’s engagement with Russia” and added, “We are hopeful, understanding among the Indian banking community will grow.”

“As like-minded countries, we will keep closely coordinating on various international issues on the UN, G20 and WTO agenda to create better conditions or the Global South to get an equal access to technological, financial and natural resources,” said Ambassador Alipov.

He touched upon the discussion between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping and said Russia was not involved in facilitating the meeting and stated, “We had border issues with the Chinese. We managed to arrive at a mutually acceptable solution. No doubt India, China will be successful in (resolving) the border problems. It would require determination, open heart approach.”