Indian govt is 'steadfast and consistent' on ongoing war in Ukraine, says TS Tirumurti

|HT|

The Indian government's position on the ongoing war in Ukraine has been 'steadfast and consistent', TS Tirumurti, the country's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, said Thursday during a special session of the UN Human Rights Council. "We remain deeply concerned at the unfolding developments and have constantly called for an immediate cessation of violence and end to hostilities," he told the council. Referring to prime minister Narendra Modi's discussions on this subject with world leaders, including Russia president Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, Tirumurti also pointed out that women and children had been 'disproportionately impacted (by the conflict) and form a bulk of those shifted to neighbouring countries and…displaced internally'. "Impact of the situation is being felt beyond this region (Ukraine); oil prices are skyrocketing, there's shortage of food grains and fertilisers," he said, underlining social and economic concerns faced by several countries worldwide. India has been sending humanitarian supplies, including medicines and other essential relief materials to Ukraine and its neighbours, he noted. Tirumurti also underlined India's 'abiding commitment to the global promotion and protection of human rights' and called for respecting these values in Ukraine.

India has, on all previous occasions, refrained from publicly condemning Russia's military aggression in Ukraine. Last month, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) suspended Russia from the Human Rights Council over allegations of war crimes committed by its troops in Ukraine. The resolution was moved by the United States. As many as 58 nations abstained on the resolution, including India with Tirumurti citing 'both substance and process' as reasons for the decision.

In a statement, Tirumurti said reports of civilian killings in the Ukrainian town of Bucha were deeply disturbing and that India continued to remain deeply concerned at the worsening situation and reiterated the call for end to all hostilities.

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