New Delhi: India on Sunday was among the countries that did not sign a joint communique at a Switzerland-hosted summit for peace in Ukraine even as New Delhi called for “sincere and practical engagement” between Moscow and Kyiv for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
Pavan Kapoor, Secretary (West) in the external affairs ministry, represented India at the summit in the Swiss resort of Burgenstock which was attended by delegates from more than 100 countries and organisations, including several heads of state. Russia was not invited to the summit while China decided not to attend it.
India did not associate itself with any communique or document emerging from the summit.
In a brief address, the senior Indian diplomat said New Delhi’s participation in the peace summit and several earlier meetings of senior officials based on Ukraine’s peace formula was in line with “our clear and consistent approach that enduring peace can be achieved only through dialogue and diplomacy”.
The key objective of the summit that concluded on Sunday was to inspire a future peace process.
The Indian delegation attended the opening and closing plenary sessions of the summit.
“India did not associate itself with any communique/document emerging from this summit,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.
“India’s participation in the summit, as well as in the preceding NSA/Political Director-level meetings based on Ukraine’s Peace Formula, was in line with our consistent approach to facilitate a lasting and peaceful resolution to the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy,” the MEA said.
It said a resolution to the conflict requires a “sincere and practical engagement” between the two parties, clearly referring to Russia and Ukraine.
“We continue to believe that such a resolution requires a sincere and practical engagement between the two parties to the conflict,” the MEA said.
“In this regard, India will continue to remain engaged with all stakeholders as well as both the parties to contribute to all earnest efforts to bring about an early and abiding peace,” it said.