India reiterates PM Modi's stance on Russia-Ukraine conflict; 'This isn't an era of war'

India on Wednesday reiterated its position with respect to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine hostilities ravaging the eastern flank of Europe. Reaffirming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stance on the war at a special briefing on G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said that "this isn't an era of war".

"India's position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict is that 'This isn't an era of war'. Dialogue and diplomacy are the way forward. The agenda is for the foreign ministers to discuss in the meet," Kwatra noted, according to ANI. 

The Russia-Ukraine conflict would be a key issue of discussion when the foreign ministers from the world assemble at Thursday's Group of 20 (G20) gathering in New Delhi, Foreign Secretary Kwatra reiterated. "Given the developing situation of Russia-Ukraine, naturally, it'll be an important point of discussion during the Foreign Ministers' meeting. Foreign ministers will be focusing on the Russia-Ukraine situation, it'll be important to what they come out with, what understanding is developed," said Kwatra.

Furthermore Kwatra noted, that issues of the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on the world, "including economic impact and impact on development" will be central to the discussion at the summit. The meeting is scheduled at Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Center. As many as 40 delegations are expected to participate. The sessions will "capture" issues of the global south, noted India's Foreign Secretary, adding that India will be the voice of global south at the G20 FMs meet. Other issues will also be discussed at the G20 including the downward spiral of economic growth, increasing inflation, lower demands for goods and services as well as increasing prices of food, fuel, and fertilisers.

At the forum, tomorrow, India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will be chairing two sessions of the foreign ministries meeting, noted Foreign Secretary. 

"First session will focus on multilateralism, and issues related to food and energy while the second session will focus on four or five key issues including new and emerging threats including counter-terrorism and narcotics, global skill mapping, focus on global talent pools." 

India's neutral stance and push for diplomacy on Ukraine-Russia conflict

Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue earlier last year, India’s premier conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had emphasized India's neutral stance and push for diplomacy and path of dialogue saying, New Delhi "urges a cessation of hostilities, return to dialogue and national sovereignty." The ongoing conflict in Ukraine "is one of the most dominating issues at present not only because of interests or values concerned but also because of the consequences worldwide," EAM S Jaishankar had asserted during an interaction at the Raisina Dialogue.

"And there is a wide world out there where sustaining a rules-based order is often an issue," he noted. On India's stance on the war, and its neutral approach, India's External Affairs Minister emphasized that when rules-based order "was under challenge in Asia, the advice we got from Europe was; to do more trade. At least we are not giving you that advice."

Jaishankar had also pointed out the West's exclusion in geopolitical challenges pertaining to Asia. He underscored the US' hasty withdrawal from Kabul leaving tons of weapons behind that created a security issue for neighbouring countries like India. 

"We have to find a way to return to diplomacy and to do that, the fighting must stop," he stressed about the Ukraine-Russia conflict. India's EAM pointed at the challenges that are faced by the developing countries of the world due to the war as food and commodities prices soared due to inflation. "There will be no winners out of this conflict" he asserted, adding that the immediate issue, in fact, is the effect on oil and food prices.

India's EAM also iterated that the conflict in Ukraine shall not be a "precedent for China." He then urged Europe and the US to pay more attention to Asia. "So, this is a wake-up call for Europe to start looking at Asia. This is a part of the world with unsettled boundaries, terrorism, and continuous challenges to the rules-based order. The rest of the world has to recognize that problems are not 'going to happen', but that they are happening," said Jaishankar.