This was the second meeting between the two leaders in about a month…reports Asian Lite News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in New York on Monday.
This was the second meeting between the two leaders in about a month. PM Modi had visited Ukraine on August 23 and reiterated India’s willingness to contribute in all possible ways to facilitate an early return of peace in the Ukraine conflict.
Modi had visited Ukraine at the invitation of President Zelenskyy in first ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ukraine since diplomatic relations were established between the two countries in the year 1992.
A joint statement issued following PM Modi’s visit to Ukraine had said that both Leaders expressed mutual interest in working towards elevating bilateral relations from a comprehensive partnership to a strategic partnership in the future.
They reaffirmed their commitment to further developing bilateral ties for the benefit of the peoples of both countries based on mutual trust, respect, and openness.
The statement had said that Modi and President Zelenskyy reiterated their readiness for further cooperation in upholding principles of international law, including the UN Charter, such as respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty of states. They agreed on the desirability of closer bilateral dialogue in this regard.
“The Indian side reiterated its principled position and focus on peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy, as a part of which, India has attended the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, held in Burgenstock, Switzerland, in June 2024. The Ukrainian side welcomed such participation by India and highlighted the importance of high-level Indian participation in the next Peace Summit,” the statement had said.
“Prime Minister Modi reiterated the need for sincere and practical engagement between all stakeholders to develop innovative solutions that will have broad acceptability and contribute towards early restoration of peace. He reiterated India’s willingness to contribute in all possible ways to facilitate an early return of peace,” it added.
A joint statement issued by Quad leaders after their meeting hosted by US President Joe Biden on September 21 said that they stand for adherence to international law and respect for principles of the UN Charter, including territorial integrity, sovereignty of all states, and peaceful resolution of disputes.
Modi is on a three-day visit to the United States, during which he had bilateral meetings with several leaders, including President Biden. (ANI)
PM holds talks with Vietnam President
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met Vietnamese President To Lam on the sidelines of the UN’s Summit of the Future, saying the meeting will add momentum to the relations between the two countries.
After their meeting, Modi wrote on X: “We took stock of the full range of India-Vietnam friendship. We look forward to adding momentum in sectors such as connectivity, trade, culture, and more.”
The two nations are deepening their ties in many areas with a multi-pronged strategic partnership.
The background to the meeting is the visit of Vietnamese Prime Minister Minh Chinh to India in July when a joint statement by him and PM Modi spoke of strengthening “the Vietnam-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in all areas”.
“The leaders agreed that the current geo-political realities call for closer cooperation between India and Vietnam,” the joint statement had read.
“They recognised convergence in their world view,” it said.
The Prime Ministers’ statement reiterated their commitment to the Joint Vision Statement on India-Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030 and strengthening defence cooperation.
“Two-way trade turnover has increased 2.5 fold since the two countries upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2016, reaching nearly $15 billion in 2023,” according to Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Thanh Binh quoted by the publication Voice of Vietnam.
The minister said that “large Indian corporations are enhancing cooperation with Vietnam in strategic fields such as renewable energy, processing, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, seaport infrastructure, and logistics”.
He also said that Vietnamese companies were also investing in India, with the automobile maker Vinfast Group committing $2 billion to a factory in Tamil Nadu.
Earlier, speaking at the UN’s Summit of the Future which aims to chart the path forward for the UN and world seeking relevance, PM Modi placed India at the centre of the global striving for development and peace. He said that on behalf of the “one-sixth” of humanity, they will work for “all humanity and for global prosperity”.
Modi said: “India will continue to work in thought, words and deeds to protect the rights of all humanity and for global prosperity.”
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