S Jaishankar, the union minister for external affairs, said in response to a discussion in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday that India is vehemently opposed to the crisis in Ukraine.
In response to concerns about India’s position, Jaishankar stated, “First and foremost, we are adamantly opposed to the conflict. We feel that no solution can be found by shedding blood and taking the lives of innocent people. Dialogue and diplomacy are the correct remedies to any issues in this day and age,” the foreign minister added.
Jaishankar continued, “The conflict has had tremendous ramifications for the world economy as well as our national economy. Like all countries, we are weighing the consequences and considering what is best for our national interests,” he continued.
“New Delhi continues to advocate aggressively for an early suspension of hostilities and an end to violence,” Jaishankar stated of India’s diplomatic stance.”
The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine was debated in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. During the debate, opposition leaders emphasised the importance of non-alignment principles in the complicated geopolitical context caused by the Ukraine-Russia issue.
Hardeep Singh Puri, Kiren Rijiju, Jyotiraditya Scindia, and General VK Singh, four union ministers who travelled to Ukraine’s border counties as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s special envoys to assist with the evacuation of over 22,000 Indians stranded in the eastern European country, also took part.
After months of preparation, Russia launched a full-fledged invasion of Ukraine on February 24. Since then, India has taken a neutral stance and has refrained from criticising Russia, a long-time friend of the Indian government, for carrying out the deadly offence.
India abstained form voting in UN over matters concerning Ukraine. It also distanced itself from the West’s call for Russia to be isolated as a result of the invasion. Moscow has insisted that pro-European Union Kyiv maintain its neutrality and abandon its desire to join NATO, a military alliance of Western countries.
Living under Russia’s shadow, Ukraine has long professed a desire to join NATO in order to safeguard itself from foreign invasion. With Russian forces conducting a violent attack on key Ukrainian cities and, according to Ukraine officials, civilian populations as well, Kyiv has agreed to relinquish its aspirations to NATO membership.
