MOSCOW, August 31. /TASS/. Russia is cooperating closely with China and India in the Arctic but has good prospects for cooperation in the area with all BRICS partners, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in his article, ‘International Cooperation in the Arctic: Challenges and Opportunities,’ published on the arctic.ru portal.

"The countries that cooperate closely with us in the Arctic include, first and foremost, China and India. Substantive discussions on Arctic issues take place with Beijing during regular meetings between the heads of government. The specialised bilateral subcommission on the Northern Sea Route is operational, as are mechanisms for interministerial consultations and scientific exchanges," the top Russian diplomat wrote.

The minister went on to say that "there are prospects for interaction in the Far North with Brazil, Indonesia, Iran, and other BRICS countries."

"We are also ready to develop cooperation with Belarus and other partners and allies in the CIS. South Korea and Singapore should also be mentioned as displaying interest in joint work with Russia in some Arctic projects, notwithstanding their participation in the unfriendly sanction campaign launched by the collective West against our country," Lavrov added.