Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has backed the Indian government's position on the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Speaking to the Indian Express on the G20 Presidency, the former prime minister supported India's decision to "put its sovereign and economic interests first", while also "appealing for peace."
The former prime minister's comment was in response to a question on how the Indian government is managing its ties with Russia and the West amid growing geopolitical differences over the war.
"When two or more powers are caught in a conflict, there is immense pressure on other nations to choose sides. I believe India has done the right thing in putting our sovereign and economic interests first while also appealing for peace," he said.
When asked about the challenges faced by G20 nations against the backdrop of the Russia-UK war, the veteran Congress leader said: "The G20 was never envisaged as the forum for settling security-related conflicts. It is important for the G20 to set aside security differences and keep its focus on policy coordination to tackle the challenges of climate, inequality and confidence in global trade."
Speaking about India's G20 presidency, the former two-time prime minister said he is "glad to witness" India hosting the summit during his lifetime. He added that India's "foreign policy has been an important element of India's governance frame" and that it has become "even more relevant and important to domestic politics today than earlier."
Asserting that India’s standing in the world should "rightfully be an issue in domestic politics", Dr Singh also called for exercising "restraint in using diplomacy and foreign policy for party or personal politics."
When asked about India's strained relationship with China and President Xi Jinping's decision to skip the G20 summit, Dr Singh termed Xi's decision as "unfortunate" and hoped that PM Modi would take "all steps necessary to protect India’s territorial and sovereign integrity and defuse bilateral tensions."
Responding to a question on the challenges ahead for India, the veteran statesman said he is "more optimistic than worried" about the road ahead for India, but cautioned that his optimism is dependent on the nation "being a harmonious society."
"...my optimism is contingent on India being a harmonious society, which is the bedrock for all progress and development. India’s innate instinct is to welcome and celebrate diversity which must be preserved," he said.
Earlier this year, PM Modi had told French newspaper Les Echos that India's stand on the Russian-Ukraine war has been "clear, transparent and consistent" and reiterated that "this is not an era of war" — a remark he had made to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of SCO Summit in 2022.
“India's stand has been clear, transparent and consistent. I have said that it is not an era of war. We have urged both sides to resolve issues through dialogue and diplomacy. I told them that India is ready to support all genuine efforts that can help bring this conflict to an end," Modi had said to Les Echos prior to his visit to France in July this year.
Incidentally, Modi's "not an era of war" remark had also been adopted by the G20 leaders as part of their joint statement during last year's summit in Indonesia.
Similarly, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar (EAM) has consistently defended India's trade with Moscow and purchase of Russian oil amid criticism from the West. Jaishankar has continued to reiterate that India's economic interests must be prioritised as part of the nation's diplomatic engagements.
According to a report by Nikkei Asia, Russia emerged as India's fourth largest source of imports in 2022. Russian exports grew to USD 32.8 billion in April-December 2022 from USD 6.6 billion dollars in the same period the previous year — a five-fold increase — driven by the energy trade between both nations.
Nikkei estimates that close to 17 per cent of Indian imports of crude oil and 9 per cent of coal imports came from Russia, amid the West's criticism over India's decision to resell Russian oil as refined fuels, including diesel, into Europe.