Monitoring Desk
NEW DELHI: India has insisted on a political and diplomatic solution to the Ukraine crisis and stands ready to contribute to the peace process, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday after meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in New Delhi.
The Ukraine war entered into its second year hours before Olaf Scholz arrived in New Delhi, who described the conflict as a “major calamity” as it violated the principle of avoiding changing borders through violence.
Scholz said at a joint media briefing with Modi that it is essential for countries to state clearly where they stand on the Ukraine war at the United Nations (UN).
Modi noted that the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and the Ukraine conflict have badly affected developing economies and called for joint efforts to address these issues. “We are stressing on this even during the Indian presidency of the G20,” Modi said.
“Since the beginning of the Ukraine war, India has insisted on resolving this conflict through talks and diplomacy. India is ready to contribute toward any peace process,” Modi said.
India’s role in resolving Ukraine conflict
Scholz pointed to huge losses in Ukraine, including the destruction of energy grids and infrastructure, and referred to the Ukraine war as a “huge catastrophe.”
He said, “But above all, it is a catastrophe, a disaster because we know this war violates a basic principle to which we had all agreed for such a long time, and that is not to change borders through violence.”
While calling for upholding international law, the German Chancellor added: “Thus, it is important that in the United Nations (UN) too, we time and again reiterate where we stand on this subject issue.”
Scholz also maintained that India held the G20 presidency at a “difficult time” and expressed confidence “India will fully comply with what should be done in that regard.”
India has avoided public criticism of the Russian invasion, though Narendra Modi told Russian President Vladimir Putin that this is not the era of war.
India has also abstained on almost all resolutions on Ukraine at UN bodies, including the UNGAs adoption of a resolution that asked Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine immediately.
Modi said security and defense cooperation could become a crucial pillar of the India-Germany strategic collaboration. There is active cooperation between India and Germany to fight against terrorism.
