Jaishankar says India has gone "beyond advocacy" and is in talks with both Russia and Ukraine to end the war

India has gone “beyond advocacy” and is now “a little more involved” in efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Sunday, in the first public acknowledgement of New Delhi’s role in the diplomacy (The Indian Express).

Speaking at the Munich Leaders’ Meeting in New Delhi, Jaishankar said India has been in conversations with both Moscow and Kyiv, trying to be “helpful” on the safety of shipping in the Black Sea, as well as grain and energy exports and “non-attack possibilities”.

“We are seeing today an unfortunate conflict. Our position on that conflict has been very clear, which is that we would like to see an end to this conflict, and we believe that this will require dialogue and diplomacy. There has to be negotiations in this regard,” Jaishankar said. “We have been advocating it for many years, and in recent months, we have got a little bit more involved beyond advocacy.”

His remarks came days after Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Kyiv had received four ceasefire proposals — from India, Turkey, Egypt and the United States — calling India’s “the most comprehensive” and noting that “for the first time, India has signalled its willingness to play a role” (NDTV; Hindustan Times).

They also followed Russian President Vladimir Putin saying on October 1 that Prime Minister Narendra Modi “constantly raises the question about putting an end to the conflict” and has “very good ideas”, the Express reported. Sybiha said Ukraine is prepared to agree to an energy and agricultural truce in the Black Sea and is considering an unconditional ceasefire along the line of contact.