India seeks “partners” rather than “preachers,” and Europe must demonstrate “sensitivity” and a “mutuality of interest” to deepen ties with New Delhi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated on Sunday, in a pointed critique of certain European nations’ responses to major geopolitical upheavals, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
During an interactive session, Jaishankar observed that Europe has “entered a certain zone of reality check” as he elaborated on the subtleties of India’s stance of “Russia realism” and the significance of the relationship between the two countries.
He emphasised that India has consistently advocated “Russia realism,” highlighting the “important fit” and “complementarity” between India and Russia, with the latter serving as a vital resource provider and India as a key consumer. These remarks came amid ongoing efforts by the Trump administration to broker a ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv.
In the course of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, New Delhi remained engaged with Moscow and enhanced its procurement of Russian crude oil which triggered criticism from the West.
Responding to a question on India’s expectations from Europe, Jaishankar said it has to get beyond preaching and start acting based on a framework of mutuality.
“When we look out at the world, we look for partners; we do not look for preachers, particularly preachers who do not practice at home and preach abroad,” he said.
“I think some of Europe is still struggling with that problem. Some of it has changed,” Jaishankar said at the Arctic Circle India Forum while interacting with former Iceland President OG Grimsson and Observer Research Foundation’s Samir Saran.
His comments came two days after European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas said the rising tensions between India and Pakistan “are alarming” and asked both sides to “show restraint” following the Pahalgam terror attack.
Many observers on social media criticised her comments for drawing a parallel between the victim and the aggressor.
In his remarks, the external affairs minister criticised earlier attempts by the West to find a solution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict without involving Moscow saying it “challenged the basics of realism”.
“Just like I am an advocate of Russia realism, I am also an advocate of America realism,” he said at the ‘Arctic Circle India Forum’.
“I think the best way to engage today’s America is also through finding mutuality of interests rather than putting ideological differences upfront and then allowing it to cloud the possibilities of working together,” he said.
The external affairs minister was broadly delving into the global consequences of developments in the Arctic and how the changing world order impacts the region.
On the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Jaishankar said India has always been “very careful not to prescribe a solution”.jaishankar
“We have not told one or the other party to do this or do that. And that is important to remember because that is a courtesy that is not always granted to us. So we get advice on what we should be doing,” he said, in another dig at the West.
In answering a question on India’s expectations from Europe, Jaishankar said it has to get beyond preaching and start acting based on a framework of mutuality.
“When we look out at the world, we look for partners; we do not look for preachers, particularly preachers who do not practice at home and preach abroad,” he said.
“I think some of Europe is still struggling with that problem. Some of it has changed.”
The external affairs minister said Europe has “entered a certain zone of reality check”.
“Now whether they are able to step up to it or not, it is something we will have to see,” he said.
“But from our point of view, if we are to develop a partnership, there has to be some understanding, there has to be some sensitivity, there has to be a mutuality of interest and there has to be a realisation of how the world works,” he noted.
“And I think these are all work in progress to differing degrees with different parts of Europe. So some have moved further, some a little bit less,” Jaishankar said.
On India-Russia ties, he said there is such an “important fit and complimentarily” between the two countries as a “resource provider and resource consumer”.
“Where Russia is concerned, we have always taken a view that there is a Russia realism that we have advocated.”
“When passions were very high (in) 2022, 2023… if one looks back at that period, the kind of predictions and scenarios which were put forward have turned out not to be well founded,” he said
The external affairs minister criticised the thinking in the past in the West that a solution to the conflict in Ukraine could emerge without involving Russia.
“The idea that you will get a solution out of Russia without inviting Russia challenged the basics of realism. We have always felt that there is a need to engage Russia. Nobody wants war, particularly in a very interdependent world. These are lose-lose situations,” he said.
“I think for us, to engage Russia, if there is any way we can be of help, we have always been very open about it.”
“Having said that, we have always been very careful not to prescribe a solution.”
Jaishankar said India is not necessarily siding with one party or the other.
“But we always felt that international relations are conducted on the basis of some fundamental realism and that realism requires an engagement with Russia,” he said.
“Europe had a selective belief in their indivisibility of the world. When it liked the world to be connected, they believed in indivisibility, when it didn’t there is a fortress in Europe,” he said.
“So what has happened is Europe today is under pressure to change because the realities of multipolarity are dawning on it,” he said.
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