External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said India supports an immediate ceasefire in West Asia and favors a two-state solution in the long term, as he condemned terrorism, hostage-taking and civilian casualties in military operations.
Speaking at the 10th edition of the MED Mediterranean Dialogue in Rome, Mr Jaishankar said the situation in West Asia is extremely worrying, both for what has happened and what may yet come.
He said, “India unequivocally condemns terrorism and hostage-taking. It also considers large-scale civilian deaths in military operations unacceptable. International humanitarian law cannot be disregarded.”
He said, “In the immediate context, we must all support the ceasefire. India has also provided relief directly and through UNRWA. In the long term, it is important to focus on the future of the Palestinian people. India has -The state is in favor of a solution. Said.
Expressing concern over the escalation of the conflict in West Asia, Mr Jaishankar said India is in regular contact with both Israel and Iran at the highest levels to advocate restraint and enhance communication.
“Where Lebanon is concerned, there is an Indian contingent, like Italy, which is part of UNIFIL. With regard to the Gulf of Aden and the North Arabian Sea, Indian naval ships have been deployed since last year to protect commercial shipping “We are always willing to contribute meaningfully to any international diplomatic efforts involving various parties,” he said.
The United Nations Interim Force in South Lebanon (UNIFIL) consists of approximately 10,500 peacekeepers from 50 troop-contributing countries. India has over 900 personnel as part of UNIFIL in Lebanon.
Noting that the Ukraine-Russia conflict is in its third year, Mr Jaishankar said the continuation of this conflict will have serious destabilizing consequences, including in the Mediterranean.
“What is clear is that no solution is going to emerge from the battlefield. India has consistently maintained that disputes cannot be resolved by war in this era. There must be a return to dialogue and diplomacy The sooner the better. There is a widespread sentiment in the world today, especially in the Global South,” he stressed.
Since June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has personally interacted with the leaders of both Russia and Ukraine. He said, this includes his visit to Moscow and Kyiv.
“Our senior officials remain in constant touch. We strongly believe that those who have the capacity to find common ground should shoulder that responsibility,” the minister said.
Talking about the growing challenges of these two major conflicts, he said that the world is facing serious tensions.
“There are two major conflicts going on. Supply chains are vulnerable. Connectivity, especially maritime, is disrupted. Climate events are more extreme and frequent. And the Covid pandemic has left deep wounds,” he said.
Mr Jaishankar said the Mediterranean Sea presents both opportunities and risks in an uncertain and volatile world. “Apart from existing trends, the new element of our relationship will be connectivity,” he said.
He said that the conflict currently going on in West Asia is undoubtedly a big complication. But IMEEC (India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor), which could be a game changer, is moving forward in the eastern part, especially between India, UAE and Saudi Arabia, he said.
He also talked about the I2U2 group of India, Israel, UAE and the US and said that it is expected to become more active in the coming times.
Mr Jaishankar said India’s trade with the Gulf region alone is between US$160 to 180 billion annually. The rest of MENA (the Middle East and North Africa) adds another US$20 billion. More than nine million Indians live and work in West Asia.
“Whether it is energy, technology, industrial projects or services, we have a huge stake. It is also an area we are linked by history, culture and security,” he said.
Talking about the opportunities, Mr Jaishankar said closer and stronger ties between India and the Mediterranean would be beneficial to them.
“We are today on the threshold of a new era. It is one of re-globalization, re-balancing and multi-polarity. It is also a more technology-centric future, with a premium on talent mobility and green growth. In this world The opportunities are as inseparable as the concerns. Closer and stronger relations between India and the Mediterranean will be beneficial to both of us.”
He said, “Our annual trade with Mediterranean countries is about US$80 billion. We have 460,000 expatriates here. About 40% of them are in Italy. Our major interests are in fertiliser, energy, water technology, diamonds, defense and cyber ” Said.
Mr Jaishankar said important projects like airports, ports, railways, steel, green hydrogen, phosphate and submarine cables are underway in India.
“Our political ties with the Mediterranean are strong and our defense cooperation is growing, including more exercises and exchanges,” he said.
Mr Jaishankar, who arrived here on Sunday on a three-day visit, will participate in the outreach session of the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in Fiuggi, where India has been invited as the guest country.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
