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NEW DELHI: While treading cautiously on the Ukraine crisis, India Friday backed diplomatic efforts to resolve the situation saying it was closely following the ongoing high-level discussions between Russia and the US.
In its first remarks on the threat of a military flare-up between Russia and NATO forces, the government called for a peaceful resolution of the situation through sustained diplomatic efforts “for long term peace and stability in the region and beyond”.
Diplomatic efforts have so far met with limited success even as Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday Russia didn’t want a war and acknowledged “rational elements” in proposals put forth by the US to defuse the crisis.
Given the criticality of its close ties with both Russia and the US, the government has been at pains to appear neutral on the issue and is hoping the crisis will blow over without serious consequences for India’s foreign policy. Mindful though of the security situation, the government has asked Indian nationals in Ukraine, including students who number close to 18000, to register with the Indian embassy in Kyiv for any assistance that might be required. The foreign ministry said Friday Indian embassy was closely monitoring local developments.
While China’s open backing of Russia threatens to further complicate things for India, the Indian reaction is seen as measured given that the last word on the situation isn’t out yet and diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis haven’t broken down altogether.
Former foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal says India shouldn’t be seen as taking sides as the conflict has a long history and also keeping in mind long-standing efforts for geopolitical cornering of Russia. “Russia will be happy if India can remain neutral. If the situation deteriorates, the risks will be far greater for Europe. Our risks will be diplomatic. It’s better for India to just elaborate the sense of what has already been said even if the issue is raised at UNSC,” says Sibal.
India, in fact, again Friday underlined the significance of its ties with Moscow, particularly the defence partnership, in the context of the S-400 missile defence system.
Responding to comments by the State Department, the MEA said India pursued an independent foreign policy and that this also applied to India’s defence acquisitions and supplies “which are guided by our national security interest.”
A State Department spokesman had earlier said that Russia’s S-400 deal with India “shines a spotlight on the destabilising role that Moscow is playing in the region and potentially beyond as well”.
In its first remarks on the threat of a military flare-up between Russia and NATO forces, the government called for a peaceful resolution of the situation through sustained diplomatic efforts “for long term peace and stability in the region and beyond”.
Diplomatic efforts have so far met with limited success even as Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday Russia didn’t want a war and acknowledged “rational elements” in proposals put forth by the US to defuse the crisis.
Given the criticality of its close ties with both Russia and the US, the government has been at pains to appear neutral on the issue and is hoping the crisis will blow over without serious consequences for India’s foreign policy. Mindful though of the security situation, the government has asked Indian nationals in Ukraine, including students who number close to 18000, to register with the Indian embassy in Kyiv for any assistance that might be required. The foreign ministry said Friday Indian embassy was closely monitoring local developments.
While China’s open backing of Russia threatens to further complicate things for India, the Indian reaction is seen as measured given that the last word on the situation isn’t out yet and diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis haven’t broken down altogether.
Former foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal says India shouldn’t be seen as taking sides as the conflict has a long history and also keeping in mind long-standing efforts for geopolitical cornering of Russia. “Russia will be happy if India can remain neutral. If the situation deteriorates, the risks will be far greater for Europe. Our risks will be diplomatic. It’s better for India to just elaborate the sense of what has already been said even if the issue is raised at UNSC,” says Sibal.
India, in fact, again Friday underlined the significance of its ties with Moscow, particularly the defence partnership, in the context of the S-400 missile defence system.
Responding to comments by the State Department, the MEA said India pursued an independent foreign policy and that this also applied to India’s defence acquisitions and supplies “which are guided by our national security interest.”
A State Department spokesman had earlier said that Russia’s S-400 deal with India “shines a spotlight on the destabilising role that Moscow is playing in the region and potentially beyond as well”.
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