Quad countries accept India's stand on Ukraine: Australia

Australia on Sunday said that the Quad member countries have accepted India's position on the crisis in Ukraine and it is evident that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been using his contacts to call for an end to the conflict in that country.

The comments by Australian High Commissioner to India Barry O'Farrell came a day before a virtual summit between Modi and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison during which they are set to discuss the situation in Ukraine.

"The Quad countries have accepted India's position. We understand that each country has a bilateral relationship and it is clear from the comments of the MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) and Prime Minister Modi himself that he has used his contacts to call for the end of the conflict and no country will be unhappy with that," he told reporters.

The Australian envoy was asked about increasing disquiet in the West over India's position on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its purchase of discounted crude oil from Russia.

Separately, diplomatic sources said India's position on the Russian attack on Ukraine appeared to be driven by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's policy in 1957 that India was not in the business of condemnation and it focuses on creating a space for resolution of conflicts.

"No one has ever accused India of supporting what is going on in Ukraine. What India seems to be doing is trying to operate within the policy outlined by Nehru 65 years back," said a source.

After the summit talks with Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday said the Russian invasion of Ukraine has "shaken" the roots of international order and asserted that attempts to alter the status quo by using force in any region should never be tolerated.

The Quad comprises India, Japan, Australia and the US.

Except for India, the three other Quad member countries have been severely critical of Russia for its military aggression against Ukraine.

White House Press Secretary Jen said on Tuesday said that India taking the Russian offer of discounted crude oil would not be a violation of the US sanctions on Moscow but underlined that countries should also think about "where you want to stand" on the Russian action.

An India-Japan joint statement, issued after talks between Kishida and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, said the two leaders expressed serious concern over the conflict and pitched for an immediate end to violence and resolution of the situation through dialogue and diplomacy.

After the conflict began, Modi has held three telephonic conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy twice.

Prime Minister Morrison on Friday said the situation in Ukraine and its implications for the Indo-Pacific would figure in his virtual summit with Modi.

On March 3, the leaders of the Quad countries held a virtual meeting to discuss the Ukraine crisis.

A joint readout released by the White House had said that US President Joe Biden, Modi, Morrison and Kishida discussed the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine besides assessing its "broader implications".

"They agreed to stand up a new humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mechanism which will enable the Quad to meet future humanitarian challenges in the Indo-Pacific and provide a channel for communication as they each address and respond to the crisis in Ukraine," it said.