Ukraine on agenda as Indian PM Narendra Modi heads to Europe

NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi headed to Europe on Monday with New Delhi’s refusal to sentence Russia’s invasion of Ukraine set to be a key speaking level in conferences with regional leaders.
India, which imports a lot of its army {hardware} from Russia, has lengthy walked a diplomatic tightrope between the West and Moscow, and has referred to as just for a direct finish to hostilities.
“My go to to Europe comes at a time when the area faces many challenges and decisions,” Modi mentioned in a press release launched earlier than his departure for Germany, Denmark and France.
The premier supposed to “strengthen the spirit of cooperation” with European companions “who’re essential companions in India’s quest for peace and prosperity,” the assertion added.
Modi was resulting from maintain talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin on Monday earlier than heading to Copenhagen to hitch the prime ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Sweden and Norway at a two-day India-Nordic Summit from Could 3.
He’ll then make a short stopover in France to see President Emmanuel Macron to “share assessments on numerous regional and world points and can take inventory of ongoing bilateral cooperation,” the Indian assertion mentioned.
Germany’s Scholz was quoted by the Indian Specific day by day on Monday as saying the “assault on Ukraine by Russia is on the highest of the agenda” within the discussions with Modi.
“The brutality of the Russian assault is stunning and appalling. These accountable have to be held accountable. I’m assured that there’s broad settlement between our international locations on this,” the newspaper quoted Scholz as saying in an interview.
Scholz plans to ask Modi as a particular visitor to a Group of Seven (G7) leaders’ summit subsequent month as a part of an effort to forge a broader alliance towards Russia, Bloomberg Information reported Sunday.
Quoting unnamed sources, the report mentioned Scholz was involved over Modi’s refusal to sentence Russia and India’s elevated fossil gas imports from there, and was undecided on the invite till weeks in the past.
India has considerably elevated imports of Russian oil from March onwards, however has bristled at criticism of the transfer, saying Europe’s consumption of Russian power commodities stays far greater.
In a media briefing on Sunday, Indian International Secretary Vinay Kwatra mentioned European international locations “not solely perceive but in addition have deep appreciation” of India’s place on the battle.
The principal focus of the visits and discussions is to strengthen bilateral partnership throughout a spread of areas together with commerce, power and sustainable growth, Kwatra mentioned.
With Russia reeling below Western sanctions, some 50 Indian meals, ceramics and chemical substances exporters will head to Moscow later this month after enquiries from Russian corporations, the Instances of India newspaper reported on Monday.
“Commerce and monetary sanctions imposed on Russia… have opened up quite a few avenues for Indian companies throughout numerous sectors,” the newspaper quoted Vivek Agarwal from foyer group the Commerce Promotion Council of India, which is organizing the journey, as saying.
“Indian firms too are excited to faucet the massive potential obtainable for Indian merchandise in Russia,” he informed the newspaper.
The day by day quoted unnamed authorities officers as suggesting that shipments would solely begin as soon as the warfare in Ukraine ends.