NewsRescue
As the world grapples with regional crises and tensions between major powers, former Indian Ambassador to Russia Venkatesh Varma told RT that diplomacy is the only way ahead.
Varma stated on the sidelines of the two-day Primakov Readings International Forum in Moscow that “multipolarity should be taken in the spirit of cooperation and negotiation.”
Many of the predictions made by the late Evgeny Primakov, Russia’s former foreign and prime minister, are coming true, according to the former diplomat. These include the establishment of groups such as the BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), as well as the overall concept of multipolarity, according to Varma.
“In a troubled world, the conflict between the great powers is very evident. We see that in the continuing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the escalation of tensions in the Middle East,” Varma stated. He further suggested that “the troubled world will do very well if we have emphasis on conflict resolution, development, handling new challenges of technology, food crises, and energy crisis.”
India has emphasised the necessity of diplomacy in both the Ukraine conflict and the Israel-Hamas conflict. New Delhi voted against condemning Russia over the Ukraine conflict in the UN Security Council, General Assembly, and Human Rights Council. Trade between New Delhi and Moscow has increased dramatically in the months thereafter.
In October, India voted against a UN General Assembly resolution asking for an urgent humanitarian cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war. Later, New Delhi explained that the decision was compatible with its anti-terrorism stance, and it later voted in favour of a UN resolution criticising Israeli settlements in Palestine.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first world leaders to condemn the Hamas attack on Israel in October as an act of “terrorism.” He highlighted the civilian casualties and underscored the need for dialogue and discussion, while advocating a two-state solution to resolve the decades-old conflict.
