Most of the countries are looking for a diplomatic solution to the escalating Ukraine-Russia crisis, said External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar at the Ministerial Forum for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, in Paris on Tuesday.
Addressing the meeting, which was dominated by the Ukraine crisis, Mr. Jaishankar said France was a “resident power” in the Indo Pacific .
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“The situation in Ukraine is the result of a complex chain of events over the past thirty years. Most countries, such as India or France which is very active, are looking for a diplomatic solution. India can talk with Russia, with other countries in the U.N. Security Council and support initiatives like those of France,” he said.
The quadrilateral “Quad” cooperation originally consisted of Australia, India, Japan and the United States, but France and the United Kingdom own overseas territories in the Indian Ocean and have therefore asserted their plans to be part of the Indo-Pacific future. However, in recent weeks, Indo-Pacific has also emerged as a concept that is connected to European security. Indicating that concern Mr. Jaishankar said, “Today, we see challenges on that score with the clarity that proximity brings. And believe me, distance is no insulation. The issues we confront in the Indo-Pacific will extend beyond, even to Europe.”
Mr. Jaishankar welcomed French involvement in the Indo-Pacific. “We have very close relationship with France, which is improving over time. The high quality of our relationship affects sensitive areas like defence, nuclear, space, etc. France has been a valuable partner in these areas,” he said.
