NEW DELHI: External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Saturday detailed how India has been walking the talk by engaging directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, transparently carrying messages between the two sides.
He outlined India’s proactive diplomatic efforts in addressing global conflicts, including the Russia-Ukraine war and tensions in the Gulf and Mediterranean regions and expressed hope for identifying “common threads” that could pave the way for meaningful negotiations when the time is right.
Speaking at the Doha Forum, Jaishankar said, “(We are trying to) find common threads which can be picked up at some point of time when the circumstances are right for it to be developed.”
When asked about India’s role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Jaishankar said, “The general sort of needle is moving more towards the reality of a negotiation than the continuation of the war,” he said.
Jaishankar stressed that the war has had widespread repercussions on developing nations, including rising fuel costs, food, inflation, and fertilizers.
He said that India is articulating the sentiments and interests of the Global South — 125 countries affected by this war. “And, in the last few weeks and months, I’ve even seen this sentiment expressed by major European leaders, who are actually telling us, please keep engaging Russia and engaging Ukraine. So we do think that things are moving somewhere in that direction,” he added.
He underscored the need for more innovative and participatory diplomacy to address the world’s pressing challenges.
Reflecting on the broader conflict landscape, he cited ongoing tensions in the Gulf, the Red Sea, and the Mediterranean, mentioning Israel-Iran hostilities and the disruption of shipping routes impacting Asia.
Jaishankar said that diplomats must recognize the messy realities of the world and step forward. He also said the era of the 60s and the 70s when the UN Security Council or a few Western powers managed conflicts is “behind us,” adding that all countries need to step forward.
Jaishankar spoke on other key issues, including speculation around the Brics currency and recent remarks by US President-elect Donald Trump threatening tariffs on Brics countries. “India has never advocated de-dollarization, and there is no proposal for a Brics currency at the moment. Countries within Brics hold varied positions on this matter,” he said.
On questions about the emergence of an anti-Western axis involving Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran, Jaishankar said, “Countries align and diverge based on interests. The global reality is far more complex than sweeping generalizations,”
Jaishankar’s remarks came as part of the 22nd edition of the Doha Forum, a global platform that fosters dialogue on critical challenges and drives innovative, action-oriented solutions.
Themed “The Innovation Imperative,” the forum emphasises diplomacy, dialogue, and diversity as tools to address interconnected global challenges.
(With PTI inputs)