External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Monday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been in contact with the leaders of Russia and Ukraine, pressing them to return to dialogue and diplomacy as a prolonged conflict will not serve the interests of any party.

During his visit to Austria, S Jaishankar held a meeting with Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg. He tweeted, ‘Delighted to see my good friend Alexander Schallenberg in Vienna. My first diplomatic engagement was in 2023. Thank him for inviting us to join the traditional New Year’s concert in Vienna.’

In the press release, the Ministry of External Affairs noted, ‘This will be the first EAM-level visit from India to Austria in the last 27 years, and takes place against the backdrop of 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2023.’ Delivering a joint statement after his talks with Austrian counterpart, Jaishankar said underlined India's concern over the “knock-on effects” of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on the Global South in terms of accessibility and affordability of food, fuel and fertilisers. 

‘We sincerely believe that this is not the era of war. Differences must be settled on the negotiating table. It is imperative that there is a return to dialogue and diplomacy. Prolonged conflict will not serve the interests of any party. My Prime Minister has been in contact with the leaders of both nations, pressing our point of view,’ Jaishankar said. ‘We are also increasingly anxious about the knock-on effects of the conflict in terms of accessibility and affordability of fuel food and fertilisers. This is a growing concern for the Global South,’ he added.

India has not yet criticised Russia's attack on Ukraine but has been repeatedly asking for an immediate cessation of hostilities from various forums, maintaining that the crisis should be resolved through dialogue. In his bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Uzbekistan on September 16, Modi said ‘today's era is not of war’ and nudged him to end the conflict.

Jaishankar said Austria is an important partner for India in the European Union at a time when it seeks to upgrade its relationship. ‘We appreciate its strong support for the negotiations underway on the FTA, the investment agreement and the geographical indicators agreement. Their conclusion will obviously have a positive impact on our bilateral economic partnership as well,’ he said. ‘Let me underline that we view Austria as a serious and consequential partner when it comes to bilateral cooperation. You have experiences and capabilities that are relevant to India's modernisation and progress,’ he said.

The two countries have currently trade turnover of approximately USD 2.5 billion. More than 150 Australian companies are present in India. ‘We would like those numbers also to grow,’ the minister said. ‘There are many Austrian companies who can more actively contribute to our national priorities. Similarly, our enterprises too can generate value and employment when located in Austria. Our responsibility as ministers is to make sure that such partnerships happen,’ he said.

Image source: Reuters