Russia is a country with which India has always had a positive relationship and both countries have taken extra care to look after each other’s interests, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Sunday, as he dismissed the notion that Moscow is drifting towards China.

 Interacting with the Indian community in Singapore, Jaishankar said India should look at its relationship with Russia or any other country from its perspective.

 “So, tell me has Russia helped us or harmed us? Has Russia at crucial moments contributed or obstructed? Going ahead, are there gains to be made from Russia or is it only damages which will come out?” he asked.

 “So, if I do my calculations from my perspective and my experiences, I will get the answer. And the answer in this case is that Russia is a country with which we have always had a positive relationship,” he said.  “Both India and Russia have taken that extra care to look after each other’s interests. So, I think we should have that confidence as we go forward,” he said while answering a question.

 The ties between India and Russia remained strong notwithstanding Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. India has not yet condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and it has been maintaining that the crisis must be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue.

On a question on the US presidential election in November and India’s equation with the country after that, Jaishankar said: “I prefer to be patient”.

 Jaishankar said he is confident that India can get along with whoever is President of the US.

 Jaishankar is in Singapore on a three-day visit from Saturday.