'Today Russia stands with India because of Nehru, Indira': Congress credits foreign policy after Putin calls PM Modi
NEW DELHI: The Congress on Tuesday credited party stalwarts and former Prime Ministers
and
for laying the groundwork for India's close ties with Russia, a day after a phone call by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the
Pahalgam terrorist attack
.
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"Today Russia stands with India, and this is the result of a foreign policy which has been followed by every government," Congress spokesperson Shrinate told news agency ANI.
"The foundation of this foreign policy was laid by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Today India has good relations with Russia, and this is the contribution of Pandit Nehru and Indira Gandhi," she added.
The ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, Shrinate said, is "more a fight between humanity and inhumanity."
"This is more a fight between humanity and inhumanity than India and Pakistan, which keeps giving protection to anti-India forces. PM Modi should give a befitting reply to such forces," she stated.
Modi-Putin phone call
On Monday, Putin spoke to PM Modi and "strongly condemned" the Pahalgam attack, in which 26 male tourists were gunned down by Pakistan-backed terrorists on April 22.
The Russian leader also expressed his country's "full support" to India in the fight against terrorism, according to a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Putin further emphasised that the Pahalgam perpetrators and their supporters "must be brought to justice."
The MEA also noted that during the conversation, both leaders reiterated their commitment to deepen the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.
PM Modi was to visit Russia for the May 9 Victory Parade in Moscow. It was later decided that defence minister Rajnath Singh would attend the parade on India's behalf.
However, now Singh, too, is
to go to Moscow. The government will reportedly send minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth to represent India.
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