In a reiteration of the South Asian country’s call for peace in the ongoing conflict, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged a return to diplomacy to end the Russia-Ukraine war on Tuesday.
India has not condemned Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, but in September, Modi told Russian President Vladimir Putin that “today’s era is not a war era.”
At the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Bali, Indonesia, Modi said, “I have said repeatedly that we have to find a way to return to the path of ceasefire and diplomacy in Ukraine.”
To ensure world peace, harmony, and security, concrete, group resolve must be demonstrated.
First G20 summit since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February—described by Moscow as a “special military operation”—the summit will bring together G20 leaders.
For decades, Russia has been India’s top supplier of military hardware and ranks as the country’s fourth-largest market for pharmaceutical drugs.
After China, India is now Russia’s biggest oil customer as its refineries buy discounted cargoes of crude oil that Western buyers pass over.
Despite efforts by the United States and its allies to impose a price cap on Russian oil exports, Indian officials have stated that domestic refiners will continue to purchase Russian oil at a discount because it is good for India’s economy.
According to Modi, the availability of energy should not be constrained, and market stability should be guaranteed.
According to a statement issued by the Indian foreign ministry, Modi stated that “India’s energy security is also important for global growth.”
“The world will not have a solution for tomorrow’s food crisis, which is today’s shortage of fertiliser. To maintain a secure and stable supply chain for both food grains and fertilisers, we should agree,” Modi said.
