New Delhi, August 17India monitors any development in its neighbourhood which has a bearing on its security, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday, as a Chinese spy vessel docked at a strategic port in Sri Lanka despite strenuous objections from India.”I think a (MEA) spokesman had said some time ago, we obviously monitor any development, which has a bearing on our interests very, very carefully. So, I think I will leave at that,” he told the media in Bangkok.Jaishankar attended the ninth India-Thailand Joint Commission meeting as the two countries celebrated 75 years of establishment of diplomatic relations.The ship was originally scheduled to arrive at the Chinese-run port of Hambantota on August 11, but the Sri Lankan authorities asked Beijing to defer the port call. As the ship idled in the international waters, Colombo relented and permitted the ship to dock provided it kept the Automatic Identification System (AIS) switched on within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and did not conduct any scientific research.The minister said the US and some others may not appreciate India buying Russian oil, but they have accepted it.Kyiv hits out at India over Russian oilBy purchasing oil from Russia, India is in effect buying Ukrainian blood, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said during a press meet on Wednesday. “We are friendly to India. I supported the evacuation of Indian students. We expected more support from India,” he said. TNS
