Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an urgent appeal for an immediate cessation of violence and return to diplomacy and the negotiating table in a late evening telephone conversation with President Vladmir Putin. On a day of fast-paced developments in Ukraine, following Russia’s decision to take military action to neutralise Kyiv, Modi tried to douse the flames by appealing for dialogue.
Modi reiterated New Delhi’s views that "the differences between Russia and NATO can only be resolved through honest and sincere dialogue." New Delhi has been calling for dialogue in both its statements at the UN Security Council. India is a non -permanent member of the UNSC for a two-year term.
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President Putin in his turn briefed the Indian leader about his latest action and possibly justified Russia’s decision to declare war against Ukraine. Details of the conversation are not known.
The Prime Minister shared India’s concerns for its citizens stranded in Ukraine, especially the plight of students. The idea was to get an assurance from President Putin that Indian nationals caught up in the fighting would not be taken care of and all help extended from the authorities to get them back home.The leaders agreed that their officials and diplomatic teams would continue to keep in regular contact and be briefed on the latest developments, the MEA said in a statement released late night after the Prime Minister’s conversation with Putin.
Foreign minister Subramanyam Jaishankar has been in constant touch with major powers as India tries to play the peacemaker. Jaishankar tweeted late night that he spoke to Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov and underlined that dialogue and diplomacy are the best way forward.
India is the only member of the quad, that has criticised Russian action in Ukraine. The US, Australia and Japan have all condemned Moscow. Both Australia and Japan have long standing defence agreements with the US. India is working closely with the US in the Indo-Pacific (the term includes the Indian Ocean) to contain China’s growing assertiveness in Asia. New Delhi has signed four foundation defence agreements with the US, but is not an US military ally.
Among all of the US allies and partners, India is the only country not lashing out against Russia. Every other nation has strongly criticised Russian adventurism in Ukraine.
In the coming days and weeks, New Delhi will come under increasing pressure from the US to stand up and be counted. President Joe Biden has been able to get European leaders, including Germany and France to toe the US line. France which at one point tried to play a role by getting Moscow and Washington to talk has now taken a back seat.
After Thursday’s invasion of Ukraine, Indian diplomacy faces a serious challenge of maintaining its tightrope balancing act. Till now, New Delhi had done an excellent job, calling for dialogue and mentioning the security concerns of both Russia and Ukraine in its public statements. New Delhi’s statements at the UN Security Council were measured and neutral.
Ukraine’s ambassador to India had expressed disappointment over India’s stand on developments in his country. When asked about this at his late evening news conference, foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shingla had said that Ukraine had given no such indication to MEA officials. In fact, India continued to be engaged with Ukraine and foreign minister Subramanyam Jaishankar had spoken to his counterpart in Kyiv on Thursday.
Shringla said India was in touch with all countries on the crisis, including European leaders and Ukraine’s neighbours. “We will play our due role,”the foreign secretary said, when asked about India’s stand at the UNSC, where Washington is drafting a resolution against Russian aggression.
The evolving situation in Ukraine is of major concern to India as disruption in gas and oil supplies from Russia could hit every country, including India and slow developments. The crisis could not come at a worse time for the world trying to come to the recover from an economic slow-down triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns.
Sanctions announced by the US and western countries against Russia would definitely affect India, the foreign secretary said answering a reporters’ question. But added that it was too early to judge the full impact right now. India will be on the firing line for the purchase of the S-400 missile system from Russia, despite the threat of sanctions. Washington had kept them on hold but now may be tempted to slap them on India. Turkey was subjected to US sanctions for buying the same missile system from Russia.
