Imran Khan lauds India's foreign policy; 'think our record speaks for itself,' says Shringla

A day after traditional rival Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan lauded it for pursuing its independent foreign policy, India said that its record of diplomatic conduct and achievements spoke for itself.

“To say that one person (praised our foreign policy) would be wrong,” Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla said in New Delhi on Monday, when a journalist asked him for the reaction of the Government of India to Pakistan Prime Minister’s appreciation for the foreign policy of India.

Khan on Sunday praised India for buying oil from Russia despite being a partner of the United States, which tightened sanctions on President Vladimir Putin’s country after he ordered the launch of “special military operations” in Ukraine.

“I applaud our neighbouring country India. They have always pursued an independent foreign policy. Today, India is the US’s ally, and they are part of the Quad (a four-nation coalition comprising India, US, Australia and Japan). (But) they say they are neutral,” he said at a rally in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan.

“They (India) are importing oil from Russia despite sanctions (imposed by the US and other western nations west in the wake of Russia’s military operations in Ukraine) because their policy is for the betterment of people,” added Khan, who is facing a political crisis after opposition parties moved a no-confidence motion in the National Assembly of Pakistan challenging his government’s legitimacy to continue in power.

With Moscow offering crude oil to New Delhi at a discounted price, India has already planned to buy about 15 million barrels of crude oil from sanction-hit Russia at a discounted price over the next few weeks, notwithstanding criticism in the US and the United Kingdom.

The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) already made a move to buy as much as 3 million barrels of crude oil from Russia immediately.

“We've received praise across the world for many of our foreign policy initiatives at the level of the PM (Prime Minister),” Shringla said on Monday, indicating that Pakistan Prime Minister was not alone to applaud the foreign policy of India. “I think our record speaks for itself,” he added.

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