Jaishankar discusses security and grain exports with Russia, Ukraine and Europe

Following his participation in the G20 Foreign Ministers' meeting held in Atlanta, US, on Friday and Saturday, India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated that India has discussed three main aspects of the Ukraine conflict with Russia, Kyiv, and European countries. According to a report by Hindustan Times, speaking to news agency ANI, Jaishankar revealed that these discussions included protecting civilian shipping and maritime sailors from attacks, restoring grain exports from Russia and Ukraine, and energy-related issues.

According to a report by The Times of India, grain exports through the Black Sea have seen a significant decline, and efforts are being made to resume them. Additionally, the security of energy infrastructure and the safety of fuel tankers amidst the ongoing conflict is a major matter of concern. Jaishankar described the energy issue as the most complex, because the meaning of energy infrastructure security can differ for different countries. According to him, for some, it could mean a refinery, while for others, it could be a grid. Along with this, problems related to fuel-carrying vessels are also involved.

According to Hindustan Times, India is continuously urging all parties to resolve these issues. The External Affairs Minister added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had discussed this conflict with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the 18th BRICS Summit held in September. Jaishankar stated that he had previously visited Moscow and also spoke about this with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Atlanta. In addition, he has visited Kyiv and remains in touch with the Ukrainian side as well.

India is also coordinating with the US on all these matters, as the US has its own peace mediation initiative. On the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Atlanta, Jaishankar and Lavrov held talks on the Ukraine conflict, West Asia, and broader international issues. India is maintaining contact with both Russia and Ukraine through high-level diplomatic meetings and has consistently maintained that dialogue and diplomatic channels are indispensable for resolving international conflicts.

During the G20 meeting, Jaishankar emphasized diplomatic engagement instead of military action. He stated that only military solutions cannot resolve complex global challenges. In the opening plenary session hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, he stressed that military solutions will not work in addressing global challenges and that diplomatic efforts must be given a chance. He also posted about this on the social media platform X.

Jaishankar further stated that countries of the 'Global South' are bearing the disproportionate burden of the impacts of attacks on civilian shipping and maritime sailors. These attacks pose a risk to the availability and affordability of fuel, food, and agricultural nutrients. According to information provided by the Ministry of External Affairs earlier this week, 22 Indian citizens have lost their lives in the West Asian war over the last 8 months, which includes 14 maritime sailors.

During this visit, Jaishankar also met with Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski. This meeting focused on the Ukraine conflict, India-European Union relations, and G20-related issues.