Jaishankar defends India's ties with Russia

India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has defended India's ties with Russia, stating that its relationship has been helpful to the international community. Mr Jaishankar argued that India's energy purchases from Russia have prevented a global energy crisis and that India's position allows it to mediate between Russia and Ukraine. “What India has done and is doing with Russia is actually, in my view, helpful to the international community as a whole,” Mr Jaishankar told Sky News host Sharri Markson. “If we had not made the moves we had, let me tell you the energy markets would have taken a completely different turn and actually would have precipitated a global energy crisis. It would have caused inflation across the world as a consequence. “Equally, it is the fact that we have today a good relationship with Russia that allows us to be, in a way, a country in between which has the ability to both talk to Russia and to Ukraine and to try to find some intersection in those conversations. “I think the world, including Australia, needs such a country which will help to bring this conflict back to the conference table.”