India's US, Russia ties 'stand on their own merit': Govt tells Parliament

Foreign ministry responds to a question whether the Ukraine war had affected relationship.

India has friendly relations with both the United States and Russia that stand on their own merit, the foreign ministry told parliament on Thursday, in reply to a query whether the Ukraine war had affected ties.

Over the past decade, India has grown closer to the United States in the face of a resurgent China across the border, but Russia remains its biggest arms supplier. India is the only major country close to the United States that not to have condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine or imposed any sanctions on it.

"India has called for immediate cessation of hostilities and return to