India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to hold back–to-back summits with Quad partners, including an in–person summit with Japan and a virtual summit with Australia amidst a global call by NATO countries and western allies to join sanctions against Russia.
India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will hold talks with British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland are expected to visit New Delhi next week. The visit by Ms. Truss is understood to be visiting to finalise the agenda for a possible visit by British PM Boris Johnson.
Later this year, PM Modi is expected to travel to Tokyo for the next in-person Quad summit with the US, Japan and Australia.
Western diplomats have been pressing India, unsuccessfully thus far, to shift its position at the United Nations, where India has consistently abstained from resolutions criticising Russia for its actions. Officials said the focus of all the visits are understood to be bilateral political and trade issues, but Ukraine conflict will be at the top of the agenda for the visiting dignitaries.
Both the EU and US diplomats said that India’s decision to buy Russian oil would not violate the sanctions announced, it would be seen as non neutral act in favour of Moscow. The diplomats said that India should consider the imapct of such a move in long term.
A Lithuanian delegation held Foreign Office Consultations on Wednesday, the MEA announced. Both the sides exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, including Afghanistan, Indo–Pacific, India–E.U. Partnership and the Ukraine situation.
President of the National Council of Austria, Wolfgang Sobotka met Mr. Jaishankar and exchanged views on the situation in Ukraine and developments in Indo–Pacific.
For Detailed News: The Hindu
