NEW DELHI: The situation in the Middle East is deeply concerning, both for the events that have transpired and for the potential developments that may unfold, said External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar on Monday in Rome.
“India unequivocally condemns terrorism and hostage-taking. We also regard large-scale civilian casualties in military operations as unacceptable. International humanitarian law must not be disregarded,” Dr. Jaishankar said at the Rome-Mediterranean Dialogue.
In the immediate term, India supports a ceasefire and has extended humanitarian relief both directly and through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
“In the longer term, it is imperative that the future of the Palestinian people be addressed. India supports a two-state solution,” he added.
India also expressed concern over the widening of the conflict.
“We have been in regular contact with both Israel and Iran at the highest levels to advocate restraint and encourage enhanced communication,” he remarked.
Regarding Lebanon, Dr. Jaishankar noted that India, like Italy, has a contingent deployed as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Additionally, Indian naval ships have been safeguarding commercial shipping in the Gulf of Aden and the northern Arabian Sea since last year.
“Given our capacity to engage with various parties, we are always willing to contribute meaningfully to any international diplomatic efforts,” Dr. Jaishankar said.
Turning to the conflict in Ukraine, now in its third year, Dr. Jaishankar emphasized that the continuation of the war has serious destabilizing consequences, including for the Mediterranean region.
India has consistently maintained that no solution will emerge from the battlefield and that disputes in this era cannot be resolved by war.
“There must be a return to dialogue and diplomacy; the sooner, the better. This is a widespread sentiment across the world today, especially in the Global South. Since June this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has personally engaged with leaders of both Russia and Ukraine to this end,” he noted, adding that the Prime Minister had visited both Moscow and Kyiv.
On the subject of India’s relations with the Mediterranean region, Dr. Jaishankar highlighted that annual trade with Mediterranean nations amounts to approximately $80 billion.
India has a diaspora of 460,000 in the region, with nearly 40 percent residing in Italy. Key areas of cooperation include fertilizers, energy, water technology, diamonds, defense, and cyber.
India is also involved in significant projects such as airports, ports, railways, steel, green hydrogen, phosphates, and submarine cables. Political relations with the Mediterranean are robust, and defense collaboration is growing, including an increasing number of joint exercises and exchanges.
