<p>Indian Minister of External Affairs (MEA) Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar recently wrapped up his five-day visit to Russia, which also included an interaction with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a rare deviation from the Kremlin’s protocol.</p>

<p>The visit came as a testament to flourishing political and economic relations between the two powers, even as headwinds over the past two years have grown stronger over Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ensuing sanctions by the West.</p>

<p>Jaishankar’s visit to Russia has been hailed as India’s ‘bold statement’ to the West by the Russian media. Russia’s state-backed RT News in an opinion piece stated: “The visit is also a way for New Delhi to signal its independent foreign policy and strategic autonomy in pursuing its interests, at a time when India is drawing closer to the United States and its allies.”</p>

<h2><strong>Ex-US ambassador loses calm</strong></h2>

<p>Sharing the RT’s piece on X, USA’s former ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul expressed his disappointment over Jaishankar’s visit to Russia, accusing New Delhi of embracing ‘imperial Russia.’</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jaishankar-on-delhis-foreign-policy-goals-to-develop-international-relations-with-indian-characteristics-674489"><strong>Also read:&nbsp;Jaishankar on Delhi`s foreign policy goals: `To develop International Relations with Indian characteristics`</strong></a></p>

<p>“India was once a world champion against imperialism and for decolonization. Sad to see this embrace of imperial Russia using war and annexation to try to recolonize Ukraine,” &nbsp;the ambassador wrote on X.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">India was once a world champion against imperialism and for decolonization. Sad to see this embrace of imperial Russia using war and annexation to try to recolonize Ukraine. I guess money is more important than values. <a href="https://t.co/2bQmpSed1d">https://t.co/2bQmpSed1d</a></p>
— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) <a href="https://twitter.com/McFaul/status/1741007992542404867?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>“I guess money is more important than values,” he added.</p>

<h2><strong>Ambassador gets schooled by Indians</strong></h2>

<p>Indians on X took great offence at McFaul’s comments and flooded the reply section with hard-hitting comments.</p>

<p>“Why do you have to "guess money is more important than values"? You are American. You have always put money above values for the last three hundred years,” wrote an X user CA Shailendra Marathe.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Why do you have to "guess money is more important than values"? You are American. You have always put money above values for the last three hundred years. 😀</p>
— CA Shailendra Marathe (@ShailMarathe) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShailMarathe/status/1741144066912665886?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>"I hope you have heard about 'American Interests' while your country indirectly sponsored Taliban, LeT, Jaish and many more. India never did any such despicable actions," wrote another user Manan Bhatt.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;S Jaishankar in Russia: India &amp; Russia sign pacts, inch closer to jointly producing weapons</strong></p>

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<p>"Still, we have to care for 'Indian Interests' that's what my country is doing."</p>

<p>"Why so much double speak, amb?"</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I hope you have heard about 'American Interests' while your country indirectly sponsored Taliban, LeT, Jaish and many more.<br />
India never did any such despicable actions.<br />
Still, we have to care for 'Indian Interests' that's what my country is doing.<br />
Why so much double speak, amb?</p>
— Manan Bhatt 🇮🇳 (@mananbhattnavy) <a href="https://twitter.com/mananbhattnavy/status/1741133034190184573?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Some users also shared pictures from the recent meeting between the Army Chief of Pakistan, India's arch nemesis, and USA's Secretary of State Antony Blinken.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Say what now? <a href="https://t.co/91t464mlmg">https://t.co/91t464mlmg</a> <a href="https://t.co/7dmYbPxb8Y">pic.twitter.com/7dmYbPxb8Y</a></p>
— Rishap Vats (@VatsRishap) <a href="https://twitter.com/VatsRishap/status/1741139381161976083?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h2><strong>Take from experts</strong></h2>

<p>Even geopolitical experts on X&nbsp;raised questions on the ambassador's comments, who agreed that India was just serving its own "interests."</p>

<p>"It's not about 'money.'&nbsp; 'Interests'&nbsp;are more important than values," wrote&nbsp;Jeff M Smith,&nbsp;Director of the Asian Studies Center at The Heritage Foundation.</p>

<p>"That goes for us too, when we meet with leaders of Saudi or Egypt. If we meet Xi when he's sponsoring genocide or Pak generals when they're sponsoring terrorism, we can't lecture India about meeting with Putin," he added.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">It's not about "money."<br />
"Interests" are more important than values.<br />
<br />
That goes for us too, when we meet with leaders of Saudi or Egypt. If we meet Xi when he's sponsoring genocide or Pak generals when they're sponsoring terrorism, we can't lecture India about meeting with Putin. <a href="https://t.co/j9CBUm2DF9">https://t.co/j9CBUm2DF9</a></p>
— Jeff M. Smith (@Cold_Peace_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cold_Peace_/status/1741129385178964156?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Geopolitical expert&nbsp;Gokul Sahni also posted a satirical response to the ambassador's comments.</p>

<p>"Always great to be accused of pursuing a profiteering foreign policy from the paragons of virtue - the American foreign policy establishment," he wrote.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Always great to be accused of pursuing a profiteering foreign policy from the paragons of virtue - the American foreign policy establishment. <a href="https://t.co/tvDTElM7GG">https://t.co/tvDTElM7GG</a></p>
— Gokul Sahni (@Gokul_Sahni) <a href="https://twitter.com/Gokul_Sahni/status/1741132202748907859?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


Indian Minister of External Affairs (MEA) Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar recently wrapped up his five-day visit to Russia, which also included an interaction with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a rare deviation from the Kremlin’s protocol.

Indian Minister of External Affairs (MEA) Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar recently wrapped up his five-day visit to Russia, which also included an interaction with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a rare deviation from the Kremlin’s protocol. The visit came as a testament to flourishing political and economic relations between the two powers, even as headwinds over the past two years have grown stronger over Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ensuing sanctions by the West. Jaishankar’s visit to Russia has been hailed as India’s ‘bold statement’ to the West by the Russian media. Russia’s state-backed RT News in an opinion piece stated: “The visit is also a way for New Delhi to signal its independent foreign policy and strategic autonomy in pursuing its interests, at a time when India is drawing closer to the United States and its allies.” Ex-US ambassador loses calm Sharing the RT’s piece on X, USA’s former ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul expressed his disappointment over Jaishankar’s visit to Russia, accusing New Delhi of embracing ‘imperial Russia.’ Also read: Jaishankar on Delhi`s foreign policy goals: `To develop International Relations with Indian characteristics` “India was once a world champion against imperialism and for decolonization. Sad to see this embrace of imperial Russia using war and annexation to try to recolonize Ukraine,” the ambassador wrote on X. India was once a world champion against imperialism and for decolonization. Sad to see this embrace of imperial Russia using war and annexation to try to recolonize Ukraine. I guess money is more important than values. https://t.co/2bQmpSed1d — Michael McFaul (@McFaul) December 30, 2023 × “I guess money is more important than values,” he added. Ambassador gets schooled by Indians Indians on X took great offence at McFaul’s comments and flooded the reply section with hard-hitting comments. “Why do you have to "guess money is more important than values"? You are American. You have always put money above values for the last three hundred years,” wrote an X user CA Shailendra Marathe. Why do you have to "guess money is more important than values"? You are American. You have always put money above values for the last three hundred years. 😀 — CA Shailendra Marathe (@ShailMarathe) December 30, 2023 × "I hope you have heard about 'American Interests' while your country indirectly sponsored Taliban, LeT, Jaish and many more. India never did any such despicable actions," wrote another user Manan Bhatt. Watch: S Jaishankar in Russia: India & Russia sign pacts, inch closer to jointly producing weapons × "Still, we have to care for 'Indian Interests' that's what my country is doing." "Why so much double speak, amb?" I hope you have heard about 'American Interests' while your country indirectly sponsored Taliban, LeT, Jaish and many more. India never did any such despicable actions. Still, we have to care for 'Indian Interests' that's what my country is doing. Why so much double speak, amb? — Manan Bhatt 🇮🇳 (@mananbhattnavy) December 30, 2023 × Some users also shared pictures from the recent meeting between the Army Chief of Pakistan, India's arch nemesis, and USA's Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Say what now? https://t.co/91t464mlmg pic.twitter.com/7dmYbPxb8Y — Rishap Vats (@VatsRishap) December 30, 2023 × Take from experts Even geopolitical experts on X raised questions on the ambassador's comments, who agreed that India was just serving its own "interests." "It's not about 'money.' 'Interests' are more important than values," wrote Jeff M Smith, Director of the Asian Studies Center at The Heritage Foundation. "That goes for us too, when we meet with leaders of Saudi or Egypt. If we meet Xi when he's sponsoring genocide or Pak generals when they're sponsoring terrorism, we can't lecture India about meeting with Putin," he added. It's not about "money." "Interests" are more important than values. That goes for us too, when we meet with leaders of Saudi or Egypt. If we meet Xi when he's sponsoring genocide or Pak generals when they're sponsoring terrorism, we can't lecture India about meeting with Putin. https://t.co/j9CBUm2DF9 — Jeff M. Smith (@Cold_Peace_) December 30, 2023 × Geopolitical expert Gokul Sahni also posted a satirical response to the ambassador's comments. "Always great to be accused of pursuing a profiteering foreign policy from the paragons of virtue - the American foreign policy establishment," he wrote. Always great to be accused of pursuing a profiteering foreign policy from the paragons of virtue - the American foreign policy establishment. https://t.co/tvDTElM7GG — Gokul Sahni (@Gokul_Sahni) December 30, 2023 ×

'It's about interests,' Indians rip into ex-US ambassador after he questions Jaishankar's visit to Russia

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'It's about interests,' Indians rip into ex-US ambassador after he questions Jaishankar's visit to Russia