India has a clear position on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Tuesday, stressing that New Delhi “urges a cessation of hostilities, return to dialogue and national sovereignty”. During an interaction at the Raisina Dialogue, Jaishankar said the conflict in Ukraine is one of the most dominating issues at present “not only because of interests or values concerned, but also because of the consequences worldwide”.
On India’s role in the Western Indo-Pacific, the Minister said: “We need to reclaim our history. Our ties and trade were disrupted in colonial times, but in a more globalised world, we should focus on how we aim to rebuild and interact with each other, rather than through intermediaries.”
Talking about India’s actions towards climate change, Jaishankar said that from New Delhi’s perspective, there are two parts to the issue – one is climate action, and the other is climate justice.
“We need both… When it comes to climate action, everyone needs to do their utmost. But we also need to ensure that the more vulnerable, less-resourced countries and societies are supported. “Today, we do need to find ways to work together – on connectivity, climate change, and India is prepared to step forward in a much more substantive way on these global issues,” the Minister added.