EAM Jaishankar: Hitting infra, causing civilian deaths not done

Jaishankar presents a cricket bat signed by Virat Kohli to Australian Deputy PM and Defence Minister Richard Marles, on Monday. Pic/PTI

Targeting infrastructure and causing civilian deaths is not acceptable in any part of the world, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, a day after Moscow launched missiles over parts of Ukraine, including its capital city Kyiv.

"Targeting infrastructure and causing civilian deaths is not acceptable in any part of the world," Jaishankar said while addressing an event at Lowy Institute in Australia on Tuesday. He reiterated the need for a return to the path of diplomacy to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict stating that conflict is not helping anyone.

The EAM said the world is faced with new obstacles. "We are grappling with 3C challenges - COVID, conflict and climate change. We believe in the need to return to the path of diplomacy and dialogue. This conflict is not helping anyone," Jaishankar said. On Monday, Russia pounded Ukraine with a barrage of missiles and drones, leaving at least 11 dead. The attacks triggered widespread condemnation by the West.

Also Read: Jaishankar takes dig at American media for 'biased' India coverage

Meanwhile, India on Monday voted to reject Russia's call to hold a secret ballot at United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on a draft resolution to condemn Moscow's "attempted illegal annexation" of four regions in Ukraine. A public vote will be held now be held later this week in UNGA on Russia after its referendum in Ukrainian territories.

India's Russian-origin arms

India has a substantial inventory of Soviet and Russian-origin weapons because the Western countries opted for a military dictatorship in the region as its preferred partner and did not supply weapons to New Delhi for decades, Jaishankar said on Monday, in an apparent reference to Pakistan.

During his joint press meet with his Australian peer, Jaishankar also said that India and Russia have a long-standing relationship that has certainly served New Delhi's interests well.

"We have a substantial inventory of Soviet and Russian-origin weapons. And that inventory actually grew for a variety of reasons. You know, the merits of the weapons systems themselves, but also because for multiple decades, Western countries did not supply weapons to India, and in fact, saw a military dictatorship next to us as the preferred partner," he said.

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