Russian Envoy Alleges US 'Freudian Slip' on India's Rise at Raisina Dialogue

Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov has alleged that a senior United States official publicly stated that Washington would never permit India to emerge as another China, describing the remark as a "Freudian slip" that exposed American apprehensions about New Delhi's growing global stature.

Speaking at the NDTV Defence Summit on Sunday, Alipov said the comment was made during this year's Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi. He quoted the official as saying the US "will never allow India to become the next China" as a competitor.

"So as India becomes stronger and stronger, and eventually a superpower — which is inevitable — the US would be doing everything possible to contain India," Alipov said, adding that Moscow viewed the recently introduced Graham Act in that light.

The Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, signed by US President Donald Trump, is designed to intensify economic pressure on Russia and tighten sanctions on Iran. It authorises Washington to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on countries purchasing Russian oil and gas.

Alipov's remarks come as India faces US pressure over its continued purchases of Russian crude. He argued that India buys Russian oil for the sake of its own economy and people, not for Russia, because it is available at a competitive price.

"In response to this, I think India has shown strategic autonomy and strength," he said, calling the US move to pressure Russia through the Act absurd. He added that Washington is well aware of this, and predicted that such pressure tactics would continue and intensify as India rises.

India-Russia Ties

On the decades-old partnership, Alipov noted that diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union were established in April 1947 and continued with the Russian Federation after the Soviet Union's dissolution in 1991. Next year, he said, the two countries will mark 80 years of diplomatic ties.

"Trust and respect are the very qualities that characterise our relationship. You don't do business with untrustworthy partners," he said, recalling that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had once described the relationship as remarkably consistent.

Alipov said the ties had endured major shifts in global politics because neither side made them dependent on the immediate state of world affairs. "We have never conditioned our relations on any immediate global disposition, so we have never regarded our relationship as a zero-sum game," he said, adding that this consistency had built a solid foundation for the relationship to expand.

He also said the latest meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had demonstrated a substantial agenda for the future. The two leaders met on September 11 on the sidelines of the BRICS leaders' summit in New Delhi.

According to Alipov, the BRICS summit showed that all member countries aspire to a more prominent voice in global affairs, a seat at the decision-making table, and a fair, open and inclusive alternative platform for discussion.