Shashi Tharoor refers to Modi’s ‘not era for war’ remark; ‘As clear a message..’
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said India’s stand on the Russia-Ukraine ongoing war emanated from some practical politics but India could have told the Russian side about its stand which PM Modi finally did in Samarkand in front of the world’s cameras.
“PM Modi said directly in front of the world cameras that the era is not for war which is as clear a message… and Jaishankar in Moscow last November kept talking about the vital importance of peace and dialogue, Tharoor said asserting that India in its way is pushing for a solution,” Tharoor said.
‘Can’t speak for Jaishankar, I am in the opposition’
As Tharoor spoke on ‘Eastern Promise: The Power Shifts in EU Politics’ in Raisina Dialogue 2023, he was asked to comment on Jaishankar’s remark that Europe thinks its problems are the world’s problems but the world’s problems are not Europe’s problems. “What is at stake for India? Do you think the Ukraine war is a local war of Europe?” Tharoor was asked.
“The comment was greeted with a lot of approbation in India and other countries…the war in Europe has affected the rest of the world in a very tangible, measurable way,” Tharoor said. “What Jaishankar was alluding to is probably that when India’s border is violated with impunity whether by our friends from the north in China or by terrorists coming across the border from Pakistan, Europe behaves as if that’s India’s problem. No great solidarity is expressed. But when a European border is violated, the expectation seems to be that the rest of the world should be concerned. I think that was his (Jaishankar’s) concern. I should not be speaking for him, I am in the opposition. But the point he was making was about double standards,” Tharoor said.
“Russia-Ukraine war is a local war and it isn’t as well. It’s local in the literal sense as the emergent destruction is in one place — Ukraine…but the rest of the world if not affected physically has been affected in all these measurable ways,” Tharoor said.
On a question on whether the war will impact India’s long-standing relationship with Russia, Shashi Tharoor said, “I was the only member of Parliament who spoke against India’s position in Parliament because I felt we have let down a number of principles that we always stood for since Independence…”
“I am pleased to say India’s position did evolve to the point with these principles are now being advocated regularly by India. Why was India reluctant to take a stand against Russia? I would say there were some practical politics involved. India’s had a long relationship with Russia and before that the Soviet Union which was a strong backer of Indian issues….there is a defence relationship…” Tharoor said adding that the transactional relationship could not be just disrupted suddenly. “But I believe we could have told Russia where we should which finally PM Modi told in Samarkand that this is not the ear for war,” Tharoor added.
Russia is becoming more and more dependent on China and that will lead to a gradual downgrading of the relationship between Russia and India, Tharoor said. “India does not want to be seen taking sides against Russia but nor is it in any way conveying support or condoning the war. It is just accepting the war as reality,” Tharoor said.
On Chinese peace plan for Ukraine
On China’s peace plan for Ukraine, Tharoor wondered how much plan, peace and China are there in the Chinese peace plan. “There is a case for peace, India has been trying to make one. I am unsure if China will be a credible agent for it. Especially the way it behaved in course of thewar. I don’t think either side is ready for enough peace. Both seem to think they can ‘win’ whatever winning is all about and at that stage, it’s far from clear that we are going to see a swift end to this nasty conflict,” Tharoor said adding that meanwhile, the war is suiting many people in Russia and elsewhere. “India is refining some of the Russian oil and selling it off to UK and US. You have to ask yourself what it implies,” Tharoor said.