- Tuesday, March 04, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
India on Wednesday (1) cleared its stand on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, reaffirming prime minister Narendra Modi’s statement made last September that “this isn’t an era of war”.
Speaking at a special briefing on Group of 20 (G20) foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi, Indian foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra said, “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.”
Modi made the remark while meeting Russian president Vladimir Putin at a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting in Samarkand in Uzbekistan last year.
He said the Russia-Ukraine conflict will be an important point of discussion when the foreign ministers from around the world meet during Thursday’s (2) G20 gathering in New Delhi.
“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,” the diplomat added.
He further added, “Issues of the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on the world, including economic impact and impact on development, will also be focused upon in the meeting.”
Kwatra said the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting under India’s G20 presidency will be held on Thursday.
“This would be the second ministerial meeting held under our presidency. The venue will be Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre. 40 delegations expected to participate,” he said.
The G20 foreign ministers’ meeting is taking place days after a gathering of finance ministers and the central bank governors of the G20 member countries in Bengaluru failed to come out with a joint communique over sharp differences between the western powers and Russia-China combine over the Ukraine conflict which started last year.
On whether a joint statement will be issued after the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting, Kwatra said, “Can’t prejudge the outcomes.”
“Ask the Russians, Chinese if they stand by Bali consensus, we stand by the declaration,” said Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson of the Indian ministry of external affairs.
He said Russia and China opposed some para of Bali declaration, which was in the India chair statement/outcome after finance ministers’ meet.
Kwatra further stated that sessions will “capture” issues of the global south, when asked how India will be the voice of Global South at the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting.
The foreign ministers are also likely to discuss ways to deal with falling economic growth, increasing inflation, lower demands for goods and services as well as increasing prices of food, fuel and fertilisers.
India’s external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar will be chairing two sessions during the foreign ministers’ meeting on Thursday,
“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,” Kwatra said.
Responding to a meeting between Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Qin Gang, Kwatra said, “The external affairs minister is expected to be meeting all foreign ministers. Details to be shared once all the meetings are concluded.”
Representatives of 40 countries, including non-G20 members invited by India, and multilateral organisations are attending the two-day meeting in the Indian capital.
Modi is expected to address the foreign ministers of the G20 member countries and he will talk about India’s growing influence globally.
(ANI)
