NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday evoked the shared spirit of wartime unity as he addressed an event marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's triumph over Nazi Germany, amid India's ongoing operations against terrorism emanating from across the border.
"It is a great pleasure to join you all on this occasion to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the war over fascism in 1945," Jaishankar said during the event held at the Russian Embassy in New Delhi.
The minister underscored the contemporary relevance of international cooperation, saying, “We also meet at a time when India is confronting the challenge of terrorism, one that is a shared threat to the international community. I thank those who have expressed solidarity with us and understand the resolute response that is underway.”
India’s remarks came just days after the Indian armed forces conducted precise missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan under Operation Sindoor.
On Thursday, India thwarted Pakistan’s attempts to strike military sites using drones and missiles at 15 locations across northern and western India. In retaliation, India also targeted Pakistani air defence systems, including one in Lahore, which was reportedly neutralised.
Since the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Jaishankar have received calls from their counterparts in various countries, condemning the strike, offering condolences, and expressing solidarity with India.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a phone conversation with Modi on 5 May, expressed his nation’s full support for India’s fight against terrorism and stressed that the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack must be brought to justice.
A Russian Embassy readout said Putin had described the attack as “barbaric”, and both leaders emphasised the importance of an “uncompromising fight” against terrorism in all its forms.
Jaishankar, reflecting on the historical moment being commemorated, said, “Today is an occasion for hope and optimism, as also for remembrance, underpinned by the conviction that international cooperation is even more important than ever before.”
“It is an endorsement of our diplomatic endeavours, be that bilateral, regional or multilateral,” he added.
Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov and several other diplomats were present at the commemorative event, held against a backdrop depicting Moscow’s iconic Red Square.
Russia marked the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat with a grand military parade on Red Square on Friday, attended by President Putin and several foreign leaders. The Soviet Army had launched its offensive in January 1945, culminating in the Act of Unconditional Surrender signed on 9 May.
Reflecting on India’s contribution to the war effort, Jaishankar noted, “It is hard to overstate the importance of such a momentous event, one that laid the foundation for the current world order. The contribution that Indians made to this defining event is well known. It ranged from the Burma, North Africa and Italy campaigns to the Persian Corridor to the Soviet Union and the hump over the Himalayas. I am glad today that the Russian Embassy recognises the efforts through a plaque.”
The minister said “much has changed” in the decades since, as decolonisation advanced and the United Nations’ membership expanded significantly.
“There has been a significant rebalancing of the global economy, the world has returned to its natural diversity and pluralism,” Jaishankar said.
“Today, we strive to create a more equal and a contemporary global system, especially through reformed multilateralism. India hopes that this would be done through deeper international cooperation, inspired by the manner in which the world came together eight decades ago,” he added.
