Ministry of External Affairs Statement on US Elections and Russia-Ukraine Conflict

India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) responded to various international issues during a press conference on Tuesday. Regarding the mid-term elections held in the US, the MEA clarified that these elections are an internal matter of the United States. The Ministry further stated that the results of these elections are not expected to have any adverse effect on the bilateral relations between New Delhi and Washington.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasised that the partnership between India and the US enjoys strong bipartisan support in Washington. He added that both countries are fully committed to further strengthening this partnership.

Reiterating India's position on the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the Ministry stated that dialogue and diplomacy are the only solutions to resolve this dispute. The spokesperson informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly clarified in recent months that this war must end as soon as possible. India is in constant contact with both countries and is sharing its views and suggestions to establish peace.

Randhir Jaiswal further stated that Prime Minister Modi spoke with the President of Ukraine yesterday. During this conversation, both leaders discussed in detail their perspectives, the humanitarian crisis created by the war, and ideas to end this conflict. The Prime Minister emphasised that India is fully prepared to help in ending this conflict.

When questioned on the issue of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's passport application, the Ministry of External Affairs stated that it would be more appropriate to ask the Bangladesh High Commission for more accurate information, as they would have more details on this subject.

On the issue of the Strait of Hormuz, the spokesperson said that India is constantly demanding that secure, free, and unobstructed movement be made possible in this region. India is in touch with all concerned parties to ensure that there are no attacks on ships and sailors of ordinary citizens. This specifically includes the security of Indian-flagged vessels and Indian sailors.

Regarding the visit of the Prime Minister of Nepal to India, Randhir Jaiswal stated that India has sent an invitation to the Prime Minister of Nepal for a visit. Discussions regarding the dates of the visit are currently ongoing, and once the dates are finalised, they will be announced. He added that both countries share extremely strong and comprehensive relations, and therefore, several important issues of mutual interest will be discussed during this visit.

On the other hand, reacting to reports of alleged livestreaming by Chinese vloggers from the slums of Dhaka, the spokesperson said that they have seen the media reports. Any attempt to present a false image of any country is unfortunate. He stated that spreading false narratives, such as paying outsiders to portray Dhaka as Delhi, only reduces the credibility of those who are doing this and those behind it. He requested the concerned authorities to take strict action against such individuals.

On the issue of the Quad, Randhir Jaiswal stated that several high-level meetings have recently taken place under the Quad summit. A meeting of foreign ministers also took place during the G20 meeting in Atlanta. The Government of India will continue to provide information in the coming time regarding other high-level meetings of the Quad, including summit-level meetings. All these details are as per the report of 'Aaj Tak'.