The Russian embassy in New Delhi has strongly dismissed reports that Moscow may interfere in elections in countries like India and Brazil through their media.

The embassy, in a statement, termed the UK social media expert’s claim as “false” and said “it would never do anything against interests of the friendly Indian nation.”

The reaction came after Philip N Howard, an Oxford University social media expert, made a stunning claim during a hearing of the U.S. Senate intelligence committee on foreign influence on social media that Russia may interfere in Indian general election next year.

Russia, which is facing U.S. sanctions after Washington accused it of interfering in its 2016 presidential elections, stressed it had not interfered in the politics of other nations, including the U.S.

 “This blatantly false and unfounded assertion is a phoney attempt to drive a wedge between Russia and her Brics partners (India and Brazil) following the success of the recent summit meeting of the group in Johannesburg,” the embassy said in a statement.

Moscow and New Delhi share a strong defence partnership as former needs the latter for military spare parts and certain technologies like nuclear-powered sub-marines. The multilateral cooperation between the two countries extends to BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. The growing bonhomie between them, analysts say, is raising concerns in Washington.