Indian Foreign Minister Subramanyam Jaishankar recalled that New Delhi has repeatedly called for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the conflictNEW DELHI, November 26.
/tass/. India has historically had disagreements with Western countries, and they will have to put up with New Delhi's position on Ukraine, just as India has to put up with the West's policy towards Pakistan. This was stated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the South Asian Republic Subramanyam Jaishankar.
"Historically, we have had disagreements with Western countries. Disagreements could grow or decrease, but they never disappeared," the Times Now TV channel quoted the Indian minister as saying on Saturday.
"The West must come to terms with India's position on Ukraine," Jaishankar stressed. He also recalled that New Delhi has repeatedly called for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the conflict.
"There is no perfect match. I have to live with this (Western policy towards Pakistan - approx. TASS) just as they have to live with this (New Delhi's position on Ukraine - approx. TASS). My point of view in recent months is this: guys, I've been living with a lot of things that you've said and done that I don't like. Now sometimes you will have to hear it from me. Live with it," the head of the Indian Foreign Ministry stressed.
Speaking about the difference in the positions of New Delhi and Western countries, Jaishankar recalled the policy of the United States and Europe towards Islamabad. "For some reason, various Western countries saw the benefits for Pakistan in their larger calculations. And that's why [they] often pursue policies and commit actions that are contrary to our interests," Jaishankar said.
On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation in Ukraine in connection with the request of the leaders of the republics of Donbass for help. The West, in response to the decision of the Russian Federation, imposed large-scale sanctions against it and began supplying weapons and military equipment to Kiev in the amount of tens of billions of dollars.
Earlier, India abstained from voting in the UN Security Council on the issue of convening a session of the General Assembly devoted to the Ukrainian crisis. The South Asian Republic was also among more than 50 countries that abstained from voting at the UN on the issue of excluding Russia from the Human Rights Council. This position of New Delhi caused discontent in the West.
As stated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his country maintains close relations with Russia and Ukraine in the fields of economy, security, education and politics. Therefore, he stressed, New Delhi adheres to a neutral position and calls for peace and dialogue.
