Russia-Ukraine war can have 'very profound impact' on the world, avers EAM S Jaishankar

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, on Monday, revealed New Delhi's stand on the Russia-Ukraine war and stated that it can have a "very profound impact" all across the globe. The minister, who is currently in the Australian capital of Canberra, said that India continues to be “very clearly against the conflict in Ukraine,” but also acknowledges its “long-standing relationship with Russia.”

According to the Associated Press, Jaishankar said that the relationship between Russia and India has served the latter’s “interests well.” "We believe that this (Russia-Ukraine) conflict does not serve the interest of anybody — neither the participants nor the international community," Jaishankar said at a joint news conference with Penny Wong, his Australian counterpart. 

When asked about India’s vote in a draft resolution against Russia in the upcoming UN General Assembly, Jaishankar declined to give an answer. He further clarified why India has a "substantial inventory of Soviet and Russian-origin weapons", stating that it grew because of the lack of weaponry support from the West, which was "in fact seeing the military dictatorship next to us as a preferred partner".

India's stand on the Russia-Ukraine war

Earlier this month, India did not vote in the UN Security Council’s draft resolution that denounced Russia's "illegal referenda" and its recent annexation of the Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. The council had also demanded the end of Russia’s hostilities against Ukraine and expressed the dire need for the two nations to have talks of negotiation. 

So far, India has not condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and has maintained a diplomatic stand while emphasizing that dialogue and diplomacy are the ultimate solutions to end the long-standing conflict.