Amid Russia-Ukraine war, India acknowledges G-20 consensus remains a 'challenge'

Amid Russia-Ukraine war, India acknowledges G-20 consensus remains a 'challenge'

'That is a challenge, but diplomacy is a business for optimistic people,' says Foreign Minister Jaishankar

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) – Amid the long-draw-out Russia-Ukraine war, reaching a consensus for the declaration at the upcoming G-20 leaders summit in India remains a challenge, the Indian foreign minister said Thursday.

"This year we are endeavoring to find a common landing point. There are differences of opinion even about what was agreed to in Bali last year. So how do we handle it? Diplomats are still working on it," Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar told reporters in the capital New Delhi.

"I don't want to predict and don't want to give too much details. I accept your point, that it is a challenge, but diplomacy is a business for optimistic people, so this is something we would look at," he said responding to a question.

India, the current chair of G-20 Presidency, will hold the summit in New Delhi in September.

The G-20 is a strategic multilateral platform that connects the world's major developed and emerging economies, which account for more than 80% of global GDP, 75% of international trade, and 60% of the world population.

In February this year, the first G-20 finance ministers meeting in India ended with a difference of opinion about the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Then in March, India said that the G-20 foreign ministers meeting in New Delhi failed to reach a consensus on the Russia-Ukraine war.

To another question, the foreign minister also said that Ukraine has not been invited to G-20 summit.

"In our view, G-20 participation is for members of G-20 and for the countries and organisations who we have invited to the G-20. That list we had declared as soon as we assumed the presidency of the G-20," he said.


- Border dispute with China

Jaishankar further said that India and China have to find a way of disengagement at the border.

"The two of us have to find a way of disengaging because I don't believe this present impasse serves China's interest either. The fact is the relationship is impacted, and the relationship will continue to be impacted," he said.

"If there is any expectation that somehow we will normalize while the border situation is not normal, that’s not a well-founded expectation."

Jaishankar also said that the two governments continue to remain in touch through the existing mechanism.

India and China have seen heightened tensions since May 2020 when the two countries were locked in a standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) – the de facto border between China and India in the Ladakh area of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region.

In June 2020, at least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers were killed in a border clash.

Recently there were disagreements between New Delhi and Beijing over their territorial claims in the Indian northeastern province of Arunachal Pradesh, which China refers to as the southern part of the Tibetan autonomous region.


- Scrapping Kashmir's special status

Jaishankar said removing the special status of Kashmir was a crucial step.

"I do think that what was done in 2019 was a very crucial step and a long-awaited step for national security. The whole world used it against us. They saw it as a point of vulnerability, they saw it as something they should keep pressing, and keep turning," he said.

"If we don't get it right, then how do you expect the world to get it right. For us, the first thing was to remedy it at home, that is what we did in 2019," he added.

He said he was expecting to see more investment and more foreign tourists in Kashmir.

"I see no reason why Jammu and Kashmir should be denied the benefits not only of development, but of globalization the rest of India is experiencing."

India recently held a G20 meeting in Kashmir and Ladakh, a move slammed by neighbors India and China, who said the venue was a disputed territory.

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