New Delhi: India and France on Wednesday expressed serious concerns about the humanitarian situation and violation of human rights in Afghanistan while calling for an inclusive and representative government in the country and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Ukraine.
India and France unequivocally condemned the fact that civilians have been killed in Ukraine, and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in order for the two sides to come together to promote dialogue and diplomacy, and to put an immediate end to the suffering of the people.
However, only France condemned Russian forces’ illegal and unjustified aggression against Ukraine but on the other side India, which imports much of its military hardware from Russia, has long walked a diplomatic tightrope between the West and Moscow – notably refusing to denounce the latter or vote against it at the United Nations over its actions in Ukraine.
According to officials, France wants to “help the Indians diversify their supply” away from Russian arms and energy.
PM Modi, who is on a European tour, told reporters after meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin on Monday that “there won’t be any winners in this war and everyone will lose”.
(SMIT SONI)
