India on Saturday called for de-escalation and restraint in war-torn Gaza, while also reiterating the importance of dialogue and diplomacy to end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlighted India’s stand on the two major conflicts while addressing the 14th East Asia Summit foreign ministers meeting in the capital of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic as part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meetings.
After speaking on the East Asia Summit (EAS) process, a decade of India’s Act East policy and the importance of open maritime communications for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, Jaishankar spoke about two of the world’s most virulent conflicts: one between Israel-Palestine, which is causing trouble in Gaza, and the other between Ukraine and Russia.
“Calling for de-escalation and restraint in Gaza. India continues to provide humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people. Attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea are worrying. India is freely contributing to ensuring the safety of maritime navigation,” Jaishankar wrote on Twitter after his address.
India on July 15 contributed US$2.5 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) to support the agency’s core programmes and services. This was the first tranche of a total of US$5 million that India provides annually.
India has, at multiple forums, supported a two-State solution for Gaza and called for de-escalation and restraint in Gaza on humanitarian grounds.
The Foreign Minister stressed the importance of dialogue and diplomacy regarding the conflict in Ukraine.
He further said in the post, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently met President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelensky. India stands ready to contribute in every possible way.”
In June, Modi met Zelensky on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy. He later met President Putin in Moscow during his official visit. “The #EAS is important in bringing us together at a time when differences are sharp and interests are diverse. India will always remain steadfast in its commitment to the EAS process,” Jaishankar said.
India has not yet condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and has consistently advocated a resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.
However, during talks with Putin on 9 July, Prime Minister Modi told President Putin that the Ukraine conflict cannot be resolved on the battlefield and peace efforts cannot succeed amid bombs and bullets.