PERM, RUSSIA — In a pointed rebuke at the Eurasian Forum, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized India’s deepening engagement with Western-led alliances, particularly the QUAD and the Indo-Pacific Strategy, branding them as tools of Western hegemony aimed at containing China and fracturing regional unity, reported by the Nation News.
Lavrov dismissed the Indo-Pacific framework as a NATO-backed design, warning it lures India into a confrontational stance against its Asian neighbors. His remarks, made in the presence of a 12-member Indian delegation including ruling BJP representatives, carried a sharper edge as he revealed that Indian officials had previously assured Moscow of QUAD’s economic focus — a claim Lavrov said was contradicted by ongoing military cooperation and naval exercises among QUAD members.
Adding to the geopolitical unease, Lavrov accused NATO of seeking a covert return to Afghanistan, despite its hasty withdrawal four years ago. He warned that the alliance, under the pretext of restoring stability, may be attempting to reestablish influence in Central Asia.
Prior to the forum, Lavrov met with Pakistani Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, who praised Russia’s balanced diplomacy during past India-Pakistan tensions. Mushahid, the sole Pakistani keynote speaker at the forum of over 100 delegates from 25 nations, echoed Lavrov’s warnings, denouncing efforts to revive an “Asian NATO.”
Both leaders voiced support for a peaceful, multipolar Eurasia. They were joined by representatives from China, Türkiye, South Korea, and Cambodia, all underscoring a commitment to regional cooperation free of military blocs and Western interference.
Speaking to Russian media, Senator Mushahid reiterated Pakistan’s readiness to contribute as an equal partner in shaping a non-aligned, stable Eurasian future — a vision increasingly at odds with the evolving alignments in South and East Asia.
