 "India reiterates need for early resumption of negotiations in West Asia")
Voicing "deepest concern" at the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, India on Wednesday reiterated the need for an early resumption of direct and meaningful negotiations and said every effort must be made to create conducive conditions for resumption of these talks.
"India has called for restraint, de-escalation and emphasised peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy," Minister of State for External Affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh said while speaking at the 19th NAM Summit-Ministerial Meeting in the Ugandan capital.
Noting that India has condemned the terrorist attack on Israel on October 7 and called for immediate and unconditional release of all remaining hostages, he said the humanitarian needs of the people of Gaza "must be addressed."
"Let me also express my deepest concern at the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. We have condemned the loss of civilian lives, most of them women and children, in the Israel-Hamas conflict," he said.
"We have called for timely and continued delivery of humanitarian assistance and welcome the international community's de-escalation efforts and delivery of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza. India too has contributed to this effort," the minister said.
He said India has always supported a negotiated Two-State solution to the Israel-Palestine issue leading to the establishment of a sovereign, independent and viable State of Palestine living within secure and recognized borders, side-by-side in peace with Israel.
"We reiterate the need for an early resumption of direct and meaningful negotiations. Every effort must be made to create conducive conditions for resumption of these talks," the minister said.
Separately speaking at the NAM Ministerial Meeting on Palestine, Singh said India remains deeply concerned at the deteriorating security situation and large-scale loss of civilian lives in the ongoing conflict.
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"Our Prime Minister is in constant touch with the leaders of the region, including those of Israel and Palestine. We have also voiced our views in multilateral fora such as G20, BRICS and Voice of Global South Summit and reiterated our long-standing and principled position on the issue," he said.
The current escalation has once again underscored the need for immediate resumption of credible direct negotiations between Israel and Palestine, he said.
Noting that NAM is one of the world's largest multilateral fora mobilizing support for the Global South, Singh said that it is "crucial that we defend and nurture NAMs tradition of independence, so that we set our own agenda".
He said that India utilised its G20 Presidency to redefine the way the world looks at development agenda by linking it to each and every major agenda of the world today, be it climate change, energy transitions or digital transformation. "While doing so, India remained anchored in the South-South spirit and convened two Voice of the Global South summits to guide our work," he added.
He said that over the last year, India championed the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, spelled out as - One World, One Family, One Future - to navigate the complex global challenges.
"I am confident that under the able leadership of our Ugandan friends, the Non-Aligned Movement will re-emerge as a force for positive change," he added.
He also slammed Pakistan for "blatant misuse" of this platform, as Islamabad propagates false and malicious propaganda against India. "Any interference in India's internal affairs is totally totally unacceptable and we completely reject it," he added.