The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi is expected to hold back–to–back summits with Quad partners, including an in-person meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday and a virtual meeting with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday.
Additionally, United States Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland is scheduled to visit New Delhi next week, and British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will meet with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar during a March 30–31 visit. Ms. Truss’s visit is believed to be to finalize the itinerary for a possible visit by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Ms. Nuland will be accompanied on her visit by the US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs and a senior Department of Defense official. PM Modi is expected to travel to Tokyo later this year for the next in-person Quad summit with US President Donald Trump and the Prime Ministers of Japan and Australia.
Western Diplomats are trying to make India change its stance at the UN
While officials have stated that the focus of all visits will be on bilateral political and economic issues, it is clear that the Ukraine conflict will be a top priority for visiting dignitaries. Western diplomats have been pleading with India to change its stance at the United Nations, where India has consistently abstained from resolutions condemning Russia’s actions, including at the United Nations Security Council, United Nations General Assembly, Human Rights Council, and International Atomic Energy Agency.
Diplomats from several European countries said they are intensifying their engagement with New Delhi in response to reports that India is considering increasing its purchases of Russian oil at discounted prices. Petroleum Minister Hardeep Puri indicated in Parliament on Monday that India was deliberating the issue “in the interest of the Indian citizen and consumer” after speaking with Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister last week.
Both US and EU diplomats stated that while India’s decision to purchase Russian oil would not violate the recently announced sanctions, it would be viewed as a “non–neutral” act favored by Moscow.
“No one can stop India from doing that [buying Russian oil],” a Western diplomat who requested anonymity said. “However, India must recognize that the conflict in Ukraine has shifted Russia’s paradigm. With nearly 40 countries already a part of the sanctions regime and more joining daily, we would like our Indian partners to consider the long-term implications of such a move,” the diplomat added, pointing out that the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Council and other groupings are scheduled to hold “Extraordinary meetings” beginning next week to “review engagements with countries around the world” in light of their actions thus far during the crisis.
When asked how European countries that continue to purchase Russian oil could set standards for other countries, the diplomat stated that the European Union has now indicated a timeline for ending Europe’s reliance on Russian energy.
A Lithuanian delegation held Foreign Office Consultations in Delhi on Wednesday, the MEA announced, adding that the two sides “exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, including Afghanistan, the Indo–Pacific, the India–EU Partnership, and the Ukraine situation.” Additionally, Austria’s President of the National Council, Wolfgang Sobotka, met with Mr. Jaishankar and “exchanged views on the situation in Ukraine and Indo–Pacific developments,” the EAM tweeted.
Both delegations, according to sources, expressed concern in Europe about Russia’s actions and mounting civilian casualties. Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg is scheduled to meet with Mr. Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Monday, followed by Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, both of whom are expected to convey a similar message. Other Foreign Ministers, including Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau, will attend the MEA’s Raisina Dialogue in Delhi next month.
Mr. Jaishankar and Brazilian Secretary for Strategic Affairs Admiral Flávio Rocha also discussed the Ukraine conflict, prompting the External Affairs Minister to tweet that they discussed “the importance of strategic autonomy in an uncertain and volatile world.”