Putin orders government to soften trade imbalance with India
Moscow (PTI): Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his anticipation for his upcoming visit to India in early December and has ordered the government to devise measures to soften the trade imbalance with India due to the heavy import of crude by New Delhi.
Speaking at the international Valdai discussion forum of security and geopolitical experts from 140 countries, including India, in the Black Sea resort of Sochi in South Russia on Thursday evening, Putin underlined that Russia and India have never had any problems or tensions between them and always took actions by keeping in view their sensitivities.
"We have never had any problems or interstate tensions with India. Never," the Russian leader noted.
Putin highlighted the "special" nature of Russia-India relations since the days of the Soviet Union, when India was fighting for its independence. "In India, they remember this, they know it, and they value it. We appreciate that India has not forgotten it," he declared.
He referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as his friend, noting that he feels comfortable in their trustworthy interactions.
Putin lauded India's nationalist government led by Modi, calling him a "balanced, wise", and "nationally oriented" leader.
He remarked, "Everyone in India knows this well," particularly regarding India's decision to ignore US pressure to halt oil imports from Russia.
"The losses faced by India due to punitive US tariffs would be balanced by crude imports from Russia, plus it will gain prestige as a sovereign nation," Putin said.
He said that to remove the trade imbalance, Russia may buy more agricultural products and medicines from India. "More agricultural products may be purchased from India. Certain steps can be undertaken from our side for medicinal products, pharmaceuticals," Putin stated.
He noted the vast potential for economic cooperation between Russia and India but acknowledged the need to resolve specific issues to fully unlock these opportunities.
"We need to solve the whole range of tasks to unlock our opportunities and potential advantages," Putin said, identifying financing, logistics and payment bottlenecks as key concerns.
Putin also recalled that the declaration of a special strategic privileged partnership between Russia and India will soon celebrate its 15th anniversary, declaring, "That's what it really is."
He noted that, in their political relations, Russia and India almost always coordinate their actions.
"We always hear and take into account the positions of our countries on various key issues. Our foreign ministries work very closely together," Putin said.
Additionally, he welcomed the idea of a joint fund to develop AI and other cutting-edge technology proposed by Dr Arvind Gupta, Director General of New Delhi-based Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF), who was attending the Sochi forum.
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Talks about split coaching surprising, important for people to stay in their domain: Gambhir
Visakhapatnam (PTI): India head coach Gautam Gambhir on Saturday came down heavily on theories doing the rounds on social media about split coaching, terming them "surprising" and asked those opinion-makers to stay "in their domain."
After India’s recent 0-2 Test series defeat against South Africa, some influential cricketing names, including an IPL team owner, asked the BCCI to consider appointing separate coaches for red-ball and white ball formats.
"Look, there were a lot of talks because the results didn't go in our favour (in Test series). But the most surprising thing is that not once did any media or journalist wrote that our first Test match (in Kolkata) was played without the captain (Shubman Gill), who didn't bat in both innings (because of a neck injury)," Gambhir said during the post-match press meet after India clinched the ODI series against SA 2-1.
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Gambhir said such opinion makers should refrain from making remarks that have no direct connection with on-field cricketing matters.
“Some people also said things that have nothing to do with cricket. An IPL team owner (Parth Jindal of Delhi Capitals on X) also wrote about split coaching.
“So this is surprising. It's very important for people to stay in their domain. Because if we don't go into someone's domain, then they also don't have the right to come into our domain,” Gambhir added.
Gambhir had also stated his achievements as the red-ball coach in the post-match press conference at Guwahati in what looked like a self-defence mechanism after a series defeat at home.
“I don't give excuses in press conferences. It doesn't mean that you don't show the facts in front of the world or the country. When you go through a transition and when you lose your captain, who is also your main batter in red-ball cricket against such a team (SA).
"Then obviously the results are difficult because you don't have that much experience in red ball cricket. And the surprising thing is that no one even talked about it. All the discussions about wickets, I don't know what all things were said," he noted.
