The issue of Russia’s absence loomed large at the peace summit in Switzerland, as India joined over a dozen countries in not signing a joint communique that declared any peace agreement must be based on Ukraine’s territorial integrity. India backed out saying abiding peace wasn’t possible in the absence of options acceptable to both sides, as the summit also could not elicit the kind of support Ukraine was hoping for from the Global South.
Among others who did not back the communique, which was endorsed by 84 countries and organisations out of the 100 that participated, were important Indian BRICS partners like UAE, Brazil and South Africa, apart from countries in the extended neighbourhood like Indonesia and Thailand.
Given the efforts to keep Russia out and Moscow’s own reservations about the summit, India was represented by a secretary-level official at the two-day summit that ended on Sunday.
Justifying India’s decision to not associate itself with any communique/document emerging from this summit, MEA secretary (west) Pavan Kapoor, who led the Indian delegation, said in India’s view, only those options acceptable to both parties could lead to abiding peace.
In a separate statement, the foreign ministry said a lasting and peaceful resolution required “sincere and practical engagement between the two parties to the conflict”.
“India’s participation in the summit, as well as in the preceding NSA/political director-level meetings based on Ukraine’s peace formula, was in line with our consistent approach to facilitate a lasting and peaceful resolution to the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy,” said the Indian statement, alluding to PM Narendra Modi’s repeated assurances to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that India would do everything within its means to support a peaceful solution.
However, India and others who did not endorse the communique had doubts whether the peace summit would be able to achieve its objective of “just peace” in the absence of Russia, the main party to the conflict along with Ukraine. The govt also said India will continue to remain engaged with all stakeholders as well as both the parties to contribute to all “earnest efforts” to bring about an early and abiding peace.
