Trilateral alliance not aimed at creating power bloc: India

RIYADH: India on Saturday made it clear that its trilateral alliance with Russia and China was not aimed at creating a power bloc against the US or anyone else as it believes in multi-polar world and working cooperatively for development.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the trilateral arrangement with Russia and China was not different from India's cooperative frameworks with several other countries and blocs like members of South Asian region, ASEAN, Africa and European Union.

"We do not believe in that type of structure. We never believe that world is divided into political superpowers. We believe in multi-polar world and not unipolar world," Mukherjee said when asked whether the India-Russia-China strategic alliance was aimed at creating a power bloc against the superpower US.

"India believes in cooperation, working and developing together and not in confrontation," he added.

Referring to India-Russia-China forum, he said it is set to be expanded with the inclusion of Brazil during the next meeting in May.

Mukherjee is on a two-day visit here from today.