AMN / WEB DESK
India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Monday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been in contact with the leaders of Russia and Ukraine, pressing them to return to dialogue and diplomacy as a prolonged conflict will not serve the interests of any party.
He stressed that differences must be settled through talks. Dr Jaishankar made the remarks while delivering a joint press statement after holding talks with his Austrian counterpart Alexander Schallenberg in Vienna. The External Affairs Minister reached Austria from Cyprus on the second leg of his two-nation tour.
Dr S Jaishankar said, there is a growing concern for the Global South about the knock-on effects of the conflict in terms of accessibility and affordability of fuel, food, and fertilizers.
He said, during his talks with Austrian counterpart, they spoke on the threats to international peace and security that are posed by terrorism, including its cross-border practices, violent extremism, radicalization, and fundamentalism.
The Minister said, during his visit, India and Austria inked a number of agreements. He said, a particularly noteworthy one is the initialing of the Comprehensive Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement, as it will enable demands for skills and talents to be synchronized with their availability.
Dr Jaishankar said, Austria is an important partner for India in the European Union at a time when it seeks to upgrade its relationship. He said, New Delhi appreciates its strong support for the negotiations underway on the Free Trade Agreement, the investment agreement and the geographical indicators agreement. He said, their conclusion will obviously have a positive impact on the bilateral economic partnership.
The Minister said, the two countries have currently a trade turnover of approximately 2.5 billion dollars while over 150 Austrian companies are present in India. He said, they would like those numbers also to grow. He expressed happiness that India’s presence in Austrian economy has grown substantially.