Russia has reacted to Indian concerns over its increasing relationship with Pakistan, reassuring New Delhi that it will not be at the cost of its closest friend.
Moscow sent senior Russian diplomat and President Vladimir Putin's envoy to Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov to attend the 'Heart of Asia' conference at Amritsar - where the envoy said Russia's relationship with Pakistan has a "different history" and was meant to primarily help in countering terror.
"Russia has a different history with Pakistan. We are trying to explore cooperation with Pakistan primarily to counter terror. But Russia's ties with Pakistan will not be at the cost of our special and privileged strategic partnership with India. This has been explained by our highest leadership to India's topmost leadership," Kabulov told the Economic Times on Sunday.
India has been sensitive to reports suggesting closeness between Moscow and Islamabad and has shared its concern with Russia. Russia has been keen to improve its ties with Pakistan, a Cold war rival.
Recently, Pakistani media had jumped the gun by suggesting Russia was in 'secret talks' with the Pakistani government on joining the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). But Russia dismissed these claims and said that they were "not true to the facts."
Kubulov denied any knowledge of the South Asia desk in the Russian foreign ministry regarding the reports of Russia-Pakistan having 'secret talks' on CPEC. He said there was "no proposal" and he did not know from where "the suggestion" to use Gwadar or CPEC came from.
In September, Russia sent ground soldiers to Pakistan for the first ever joint military exercises with them. Russia had assured India that the exercises were not being held in the disputed areas, in the Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir.
Further Kubulov stressed that Russian and Pakistani military ties were, "commercial in nature."
"With India our military partnership is deep and we offer long credit to India for acquiring military supplies. Therefore the nature of two relationships is different," he added.
Pakistan is looking to buy Russian military hardware, an unheard of thing a few years ago. Russia recently secured a deal for four Mi-35 Hind E attack helicopters from Pakistan.
