Ruing that the conflict in Ukraine cannot be solved on the battlefield, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Tuesday that negotiations between Russia and Ukraine would have to be done and if they want advice, India was always willing to give.
Replying to questions at the Annual Ambassadors' Conference of the German Foreign Office in Berlin, Jaishankar also said that India is not "closed to business from China", but the issue is in which sectors the country does business with Beijing and on what terms.
On the Russia-Ukraine war, he said, "We don't think this conflict is going to be resolved on the battlefield. At some stage, there's going to be some negotiation. When there is a negotiation, the main parties - Russia and Ukraine - have to be at that negotiation."
These remarks by Jaishankar came a day after he had a "useful conversation" with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on the margins of India-Gulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers' meeting in the Saudi capital on Monday.
He recalled visits by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Russia and Ukraine, saying, "The Prime Minister of India has gone and said in Moscow and Kyiv this is not an era of war.
"We don't think you're going to get a solution out of the battlefield. We think you've got to negotiate. If you want advice, we are always willing to give it., he added and said countries have differences, but conflicts are not a way to resolve them.
Jaishankar also said that the Quad has been a very successful experiment.
India is part of QUAD-a four-member strategic security dialogue with the US, Japan, and Australia. China views Quad as an alliance to check its rise and is caustically critical of the grouping.
He said India, the US, Japan, and Australia located at four different corners decided to work together. "And that's how we revived the Quad. It is one of the major diplomatic platforms to which India is committed., " he said, adding that the grouping focuses on cooperating on maritime security to HADR operations, connectivity, etc.
Jaishankar also indicated that India will continue to do business with China.
We are not closed to business from China. It's the second-largest economy in the world. It's a premium manufacturer. So there's nobody who can say, I won't do business with China. I think the issue is which sectors you do business with and on what terms? So it's way more complicated than a black and white binary answer, he said.
On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin named India among three countries with which he is "constantly" in contact over the conflict in Ukraine, saying that they are "sincerely" trying to resolve it.
Speaking at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok, Putin said, "If there is a desire of Ukraine to carry on with the negotiations, I can do that."
The comments came within two weeks after Prime Minister Modi's historic visit to Ukraine, where he had one-on-one talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
"We respect our friends and partners, who, I believe, sincerely seek to resolve all issues surrounding this conflict-primarily China, Brazil, and India. I am in constant contact with our colleagues on this issue," Putin was quoted saying by the TASS news agency.
Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Izvestia daily last week that India could help in establishing a dialogue on Ukraine.
Underlining the existing "highly constructive, even friendly relations" between Modi and Putin, he said that the Indian Prime Minister can "lead the line on getting first-hand information from the participants in this conflict," as he "freely communicates with Putin, with Zelenskyy, and with the Americans."
Modi had visited Ukraine on August 23 and informed President Zelenskyy that both Ukraine and Russia should sit together without wasting time to end the ongoing war, adding that India was ready to play an "active role" to restore peace in the region.
In his engagement, Jaishankar pointed out that India has altered vastly over the past decade and mentioned that today, it is close to a USD 4 trillion economy, which has 8 percent growth potential for decades to come. "Our trade stands at present at USD 33 billion while mutual investment levels can certainly do better. Changes in India and easier business climate should be all the motivation,.
"Whether green and clean energy, sustainable urbanisation, or new and emerging technologies-our cooperation contributes to a better world," he added. As we enter the age of AI, electric mobility, green hydrogen, space, and semiconductors, the case for our collaboration only becomes stronger, he added.
"Whether it's the volatility of pandemics, climate events, conflict, or coercion, there is growing interest in forging more resilient and reliable supply chains. Similarly, the digital age needs trusted partners and secure data flows. And on international peace and stability, those with shared values and convergent interests need to work together in defense and security," he said.
He advocated more innovations and technology, AI, Fintech, and clean/green technologies collaborations.
"More thought has to be given to defense cooperation, especially with the Indian private sector's expansion in this domain. It will require export controls updating as well," the minister added as he welcomed recent air exercises between India and Germany.
"Our Green and Sustainable Development Partnership is making sure and steady progress. We concluded 38 agreements, to the tune of 3.22 billion Euros. It only underlines the potential in this area, especially for green hydrogen and green ammonia," he said.
He said that 43,000 Indian students are studying in Germany. "But the flow of talent could be very much higher, constituting the kind of living bridge that we have with the US. This could be supplemented by understandings on skills mobility," he said.
He called for close and continuous consultation on global issues, saying this is "necessary to build the levels of trust and confidence which behoves our partnership."
"There is a basis today for talking about multi-polarity, though this is still a work very much in progress. From India's perspective, we see the European Union and Germany as one of key players in this emerging scenario. The strategic awareness that has perhaps grown in recent years in this region is therefore of considerable interest to us," he said.
Instability anywhere today, he said, has consequences everywhere, adding that 'it is therefore untenable for major nations to limit their horizons'.
"Spoke of India's significant transitions in Infrastructure, Digital, Skills, Technology and Energy sectors. Highlighted emerging challenges and opportunities of today's world and the need for a stronger India-Germany partnership based on shared values and interests," Jaishankar later said in a post on X.
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