BENGALURU: Former Deputy National Security Advisor and Director of Vivekananda Foundation Dr Arvind Gupta on Wednesday said India should play a more proactive diplomatic role in resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which is having a global impact.
“I do not know what is the thinking in the government right now, but I would think this is the time to play a more proactive diplomatic role in resolving this conflict which is impacting the whole world,” he said while speaking at an interaction at Synergia Foundation, a strategic think-tank in Bengaluru.
India should be active in multilateral forums, at the United Nations, in regional forums and speak about it, he said, while appreciating Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar for talking about human rights issues.Dr Gupta said India’s foreign policy was put to test and it has emerged with fairly good grades despite pressure from the US and Russia.
“We have stuck to our national interest. We were able to maintain contact with all the sides at the highest levels... managed to evacuate over 20,000 students and also withstand pressures despite all kinds of statements and commentaries. It shows that a foreign policy based on an all-round, deep and meaningful engagement and the Prime Minister leading from the front had a positive impact,” he added.
As the new balance of power emerges, India should not be a bystander, but must articulate its position on various issues, not necessarily by naming Russia, but by outlining its concerns on various issues and taking other countries along with it, he said. Dr Gupta said India should focus a lot on its neighbourhood and also on capacity-building as foreign policy is as good as the country’s capacities which includes economic and other capacities, too.