Russia-India-China trilateral has great potential: Russia

New Delhi: Russia said that the Russia-India-China (RIC) trilateral has great potential for cooperation and the same support efforts of constructive dialogue between India and China, PTI reported.

Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov told PTI that RIC would be unlike the policy of certain powers, which knowingly misuse the disagreements between New Delhi and Beijing. PTI reports that "certain powers" must be seen as a reference to the US.

Alipov, while criticising the US-led 'Indo-Pacific" initiative, calling it a part of the containment policy, appreciated India's position at Quad. There, India had refused to endorse "divisive statements.

According to the ambassador, RIC has been instrumental in increasing "mutual understanding, trust and stability" in the Indo-Pacific region and opined that the country could boost cooperation and coordination among member states.

Regarding the border tensions between China and India in eastern Ladakh, both troops are still in the gridlock, though they have disengaged forces from many areas.

PTI reports that under the RIC framework, the three countries' foreign ministers meet periodically and discuss bilateral, regional and international issues.

Alipov answered a query, about cooperation between New Delhi and Moscow in the backdrop of strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific, that there is no consensus yet on the term "Indo-Pacific".

He said, "We also keep in mind that the US is using this terminology to conduct an exclusive and containment policy, having openly labelled Russia as a threat well before the Ukrainian crisis escalated."

"And not only Russia. Moreover, the US is promoting such policy in restricted multilateral formats trying to engage other countries in confrontation," he said.

The Quad or Quadrilateral coalition comprises India, the US, Australia and Japan.

Alipov continued, "Holistically, the Russian and Indian approaches in the region stay like-minded. Our actions match the words when we express the support to the central role of ASEAN in the development of the regional architecture."

He stated, "We closely cooperate in the framework of EAS (East Asia Summit), ARF (ASEAN Regional Forum) and ADMM (ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting)-Plus. There is a large scope for further expansion of our dialogue."

The ADMM-Plus is a platform comprising the ASEAN and its eight dialogue partners -- India, China, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States.

According to Alipov, Russia-India strategic partnership is not directed against anyone. "It stands for equal multipolarity, the central role of the UN, respect for interests and concerns of all countries as important provisions for global and regional stability."

"Our approaches to all major issues are similar or coinciding. We maintain comprehensive coordination on all levels starting with the highest one and extending to the heads of security councils, foreign ministers and permanent representatives in international organisations," he said.

He claimed that India and Russia jointly contribute to efforts to find commonly acceptable solutions to various challenges. "What we really are against is unilaterally imposed confrontational approaches, attempts to interfere in domestic affairs, promote exclusivity and exercise double standards, which in turn are the core roots of any geopolitical turmoil," he said.

"Our overall cooperation is exemplary, and we wish to have the same with all countries. Whatever differences we may have, we take advantage of our well-established trusted dialogue for mutual satisfaction," he added.