‘Ukraine conflict does not serve anybody’s interests’

Responding to another question related to India being a major market for weapons manufactured in Russia, EAM Jaishankar said India’s relationship with Russia had “certainly served our interests well”…reports Asian Lite News

The Ukraine conflict does not serve anybody’s interests, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said after a meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong in Canberra on Monday.

The two participated in the 13th Foreign Ministers’ Framework Dialogue, where they also discussed the Ukraine conflict and their repercussions.

Speaking at a joint press conference with his Australian counterpart, EAM Jaishankar, however, declined to comment on whether India would support a United Nations General Assembly motion condemning Moscow’s annexation of Ukrainian territories.

“We have been very clearly against the conflict in Ukraine. We believe that this conflict does not serve the interests of anybody. Neither the participants nor indeed of the international community,” Jaishankar said in response to a question.

On whether India would support the UN motion condemning Moscow’s annexation of four Ukraine regions, he stated, “As a matter of prudence and policy, we don’t predict our votes in advance.”

Australian Foreign Minister Wong said she welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s words to Russian President Vladimir Putin last month. “As Prime Minister Modi has told Mr. Putin, this is not the time for war,” she pointed out.

Responding to another question related to India being a major market for weapons manufactured in Russia, EAM Jaishankar said India’s relationship with Russia had “certainly served our interests well”.

One of the reasons India was so heavily reliant on Russian arms was that “for multiple decades Western countries did not supply weapons to India and in fact saw a military dictatorship next to us as the preferred partner,” Jaishankar said, referring to Pakistan.

India wants Australia to partner in education after NEP

Visiting Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar said that India wants Australia to partner in education.

“One of them is a proposal that’s been under discussion for an understanding on mobility, on mobility of talent and skills, how we can grow education and what we could do particularly bearing in mind, India’s New National Education Policy (NEP). We certainly would like to see Australia, which is one of our major partners in education, also having a stronger presence in India, and that’s something which our Prime Ministers had discussed as well when they had met in Tokyo,” he said

The Minister also said he was delighted the Old Parliament building in Canberra lit up in the Indian Tricolour.

“So, today’s meeting was what we call the Foreign Ministers’ Framework Dialogue. It’s, I think, the 13th of that series and, you know, we spoke about a whole lot of issues — trade and economy, education, defence and security, clean energy. And among the many agreements and understandings we reached, were really the fact that it’s in our mutual interest to expand our diplomatic footprint in each other’s countries.

“So, we would certainly welcome Australia doing so in India and look forward to doing the same in Australia, at some point of time. There were some issues, I think which we see a great potential in terms of giving a greater, I would say, quality to our bilateral partnership,” he said.

Jaishankar said India is very encouraged to see that the economic cooperation and trade agreement that was finalized earlier this year is moving towards its ratification and entry into force and is very good development.

“We also note that steps are being taken to amend the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement because that was also a bit of a challenge to growing our business. And then we really looked at areas like critical minerals, cyber, new and renewable energy.”

The two sides discussed the Ukraine war and its repercussions, the progress in Quad, G20 issues, trilaterals, the UN and climate finance, among other.

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