India Took "Right Course" On Ukraine Row: External Affairs Minister Jaishankar

Mr. Jaishankar launched his book: 'Modi@20: Dreams Meet Delivery'

Amidst the Ukraine crisis, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said that India has taken the "right course" on the Ukraine conflict and the most urgent issue is to prevent hostilities from escalating to a level where they only harm.

Addressing an event on the book 'Modi@20: Dreams Meet Delivery' in New Delhi, Jaishankar said that India has adopted the "right course" since Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine in February.

"The most urgent issue...is to prevent hostilities from escalating to a level where it only harms," Mr. Jaishankar said.

The External Minister also stated that in his book, he compared the Ukraine incident with situations in the Mahabharata. He said that India has done everything to prevent the war and urged them to follow dialogue and diplomacy.

Moreover, he added, "When the global [citizen] is very deeply impacted by what is happening in a conflict, there the more sagacious [and] sober voices need to speak."

Taking notes on the Ukraine crisis, the minister said, India has managed its interest which was at stake as the fuel, food and fertiliser shortages erupted after the Ukraine crisis.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that he has captured the sentiments and aspirations of the entire country.

"A large part of the book is written by people outside the government. He is a Prime Minister, who has captured the sentiments and aspirations of the entire country. He has been approached from perspectives of sports, business, and public life in this book," the Foreign Minister said.

By praising Prime Minister Modi's leadership qualities, Mr. Jaishankar said, "What makes a leader? In India before PM Modi, this question puzzled serious students of politics. In 1947, national leaders were those whose names were recalled across regions and states."

"In succeeding decades at height of coalition era, expression national leader came to be much abused. It was a status distributed by Delhi media to friends and favourites. Since 2014,

PM Modi is the template for what it means and takes to be a national leader," he added.

Meanwhile, the book, 'Modi@20 Dreams Meet Delivery', was launched by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu last month.

The book 'Modi @20: Dreams Meeting Delivery', is an anthology about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.