Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov created a light-hearted moment during a press conference in New Delhi after joking about a journalist’s continuously ringing phone, drawing laughter from both reporters and officials present at the venue.
While addressing the media following the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting, a mobile phone repeatedly buzzed from the press section, briefly interrupting the session. Reacting humorously, Lavrov said, “Sir, if you don’t surrender your phone, they will take out a gun,” triggering laughter across the room and quickly going viral on social media.
The unexpected remark led to mixed reactions online, with some users calling it diplomatic humour while others highlighted the importance of maintaining press conference etiquette. Many social media users shared clips of the moment, turning the interaction into a trending topic.
Russia Says Oil Supplies To India Have Increased
During the media interaction, Lavrov also spoke about strengthening India-Russia energy ties. He confirmed that Russian crude oil exports to India had increased significantly and described the figures as publicly available information.
The statement comes as India awaits a possible extension of the US waiver allowing continued purchases of Russian crude amid disruptions in global oil supply linked to the Iran conflict. Russia remains one of India’s largest oil suppliers despite ongoing Western sanctions.
Discussions With PM Modi And Jaishankar
Lavrov held high-level meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar during his three-day visit to India.
The discussions focused on regional conflicts, including the situations in Ukraine and West Asia, along with defence cooperation, energy trade and fertiliser supply. Lavrov described the talks as part of efforts to strengthen the long-standing “privileged strategic partnership” between India and Russia.
India’s Potential Diplomatic Role
Lavrov also suggested that India could play a larger diplomatic role in the Middle East due to its global standing and diplomatic experience. He noted that India may be well-positioned to facilitate dialogue involving Iran and the UAE in efforts aimed at reducing regional tensions.
India and Russia continue to maintain strong strategic relations across defence, energy, nuclear cooperation and international diplomacy despite growing geopolitical challenges worldwide.
Originally published on 24×7-news.com.
