India says it is expanding efforts to help address Russia-Ukraine war

India is moving beyond advocacy in its efforts to address the Russia-Ukraine conflict, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Sunday. Speaking at the 62nd Munich Security Conference in Delhi, Jaishankar said India’s position remained that the war should end through dialogue and diplomacy.

He said negotiations were necessary and that New Delhi had advocated this approach for years. India had become more involved in recent months, he said, holding conversations with both Russia and Ukraine. These discussions included the safety of shipping in the Black Sea and concerns over grain and energy exports.

Jaishankar also said India was discussing the possibility of non-attack arrangements. He described the conversations as ongoing, without providing details of any specific agreement or timetable. The minister said India wanted the restoration of uninterrupted energy, trade and mobility flows.

He added that India was paying a price for distant conflicts in which it had no stake. Jaishankar linked the wider global environment to changes in the United States’ approach, China’s rise and what he called the weaponisation of every available form of leverage. He also explained India’s continuing relationship with Russia by referring to Moscow’s historical support when India’s security and territorial integrity were under threat.

His remarks presented India as seeking a practical role between the two sides while maintaining its established ties with Russia. The supplied material did not indicate whether the discussions had produced concrete commitments from Moscow or Kyiv.