Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister (FM) Emine Dzhaparova hailed Indian PM Narendra Modi’s leadership and urged India to support Ukraine in its struggle against Russia’s invasion, claiming that this was the only choice for a real “Vishwaguru” (World Leader/Teacher) like India.
Dzhaparova arrived in New Delhi on 9 April for a four-day visit to India, becoming the first Ukrainian minister to visit India since the outbreak of hostilities with Russia in last February.
On Ukrainian Situation, India’s “Strong Global Voice”
Dzhaparova, who is expected to meet with delegates from the Ministry of External Affairs to discuss the situation in Ukraine and global issues of mutual interest, said she briefed the Indian government on the war situation, calling the deteriorating civilian conditions “quite difficult,” adding that nearly 10,000 people had been killed amid Ukraine’s efforts to combat Russia’s “unprovoked aggression.”
Additionally, the Deputy FM also encouraged India to participate in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Peace Formula and the Grain Initiative. She noted that having India on board in the battle against Russia is critical.
In an apparent allusion to New Delhi’s energy relations with Moscow, she added that Ukraine could not tell India what economic policies it should have with respect to other nations. However, she urged India to diversify its military and energy supply sources to reduce reliance.
#WATCH | "India should be pragmatic in diversifying its energy resources, military contracts & political interactions. PM Modi's policy of democracy, dialogue&diversity & "no era of war" & strategic application is really important: Ukraine's Dy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova pic.twitter.com/cOJkB7ZojD
— ANI (@ANI) April 10, 2023
Dzhaparova said in an interview with CNBC that as India now holds the G20 Presidency and has a “strong global voice,” she hoped that the Asian superpower would invite Zelensky for the G20 Leaders’ Summit in September.
“I think India is a global player. It is really a ‘Vishwaguru’ of the world,” said the Deputy FM. She added that, as the fight extends beyond Europe and Ukraine, “India should play a greater role in Ukrainian issues and intensify political dialogue at the highest level.”
India’s Stance in Russia-Ukraine War
India has chosen a non-alignment stance in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and maintains diplomatic relations with both nations. According to Rajeshwari Rajagopalan, the director of the Centre for Security, Strategy, and Technology, “India is attempting to play neutral” by hosting Russian FM Sergey Lavrov a few months earlier and now welcoming Dzhaparova.
The Asian country has had a long-standing strong diplomatic connection with Russia, and been dependent on Moscow for the majority of its defence supplies until recently. It imported approximately 1.2 million barrels of crude oil in December of last year, 33 times more than that imported in the previous year.
New Delhi has implicitly expressed worry concerning Russia’s activities but consistently refrained from voting on UN resolutions condemning the Ukraine War. At the same time, PM Modi stated at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization conference last September that “today’s era is not an era of war,” and he advocated for more diplomatic means of settling the conflict.