India resists US pressure to ban Russian ships at Mumbai port

AMID reports that the US consulate general in Mumbai has urged the Mumbai Port Authority not to allow Russian vessels to call at the port, India's ministry of external affairs (MEA) on Thursday (14) said the relevant embassy has been advised that the appropriate channel for any such diplomatic communication is through the ministry and the mission in New Delhi.

According to media reports, Mumbai's US consulate general has written a letter to the Mumbai Port Authority, saying it should not allow Russian vessels to call at the port because of the sanctions imposed by the United States against Russia.

Asked about the issue, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "The matter has come to our attention. The relevant embassy has been advised that the appropriate channel for any such diplomatic communication is through the ministry of external affairs and the embassy in New Delhi."

"On the larger issue of economic and trade linkages with Russia, I think our position has been articulated quite clearly on a number of occasions in the past and I have no specific update to share on that," Bagchi added.