'India on side of...': PM Modi on Russia-Ukraine war, high fuel prices, during Germany trip

On Day 1 of his Europe trip, Prime Minister Narendra Modi commented on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war whose cloud has cast a shadow over the entire world, but which is darkest in Europe.

Following high-level meetings with Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz, PM Modi said that the Russia-Ukraine conflict will not result in any victors; instead, all sides will suffer losses.

He added that India is on the side of peace, and has been calling for a ceasefire since the hostilities began. PM Modi cited negative fall-outs of the war, like skyrocketing crude oil prices, and shortages of certain food items and fertilisers, to say that every family on the planet is suffering from the Russia-Ukraine war.

On ties between Delhi and Berlin, PM Modi said that the partnership between India and Germany could serve as an example of success in a complex world as the two sides inked several agreements focused on sustainable development under which India would receive USD 10.5 billion assistance by 2030 to boost the use of clean energy.

Prime Minister Modi, who co-chaired with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz the sixth plenary session of the Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC), also invited the German participation in India's ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) campaign.

"The 6th India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations were productive. Chancellor Scholz and I , along with Ministers, officials from Germany and India discussed ways to boost cooperation in areas like sustainable development, mobility, economic growth and more. @Bundeskanzler," Modi tweeted.

Modi said he had "wide-ranging discussions with Chancellor Scholz. Today’s talks covered trade, commerce, innovation, culture and people-to-people linkages. India and Germany are working together on several subjects.

This partnership will benefit our entire planet." In their opening remarks, both the leaders highlighted key aspects of the bilateral relationship as well as shared perspectives on regional and global issues during the session, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a press release.

Prime Minister Modi emphasised that India-Germany partnership could serve as an example of success in a complex world, it said.

Participating ministers and officials from both sides presented brief reports on their meetings on the different tracks of the IGC, which included foreign affairs and security; economic, financial policy, scientific and social exchange; climate, environment, sustainable development and energy.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman; External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar; Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh and Secretary Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Anurag Jain made presentations from the Indian side.

The plenary session concluded with the signing by Prime Minister Modi and Chancellor Scholz of the Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) establishing the green and sustainable development partnership.

This partnership envisages a whole-of-government approach to India-Germany cooperation on Sustainable Development Goals and climate action, under which Germany has agreed to make an advance commitment of 10 billion Euros (USD 10.5 billion) of new and additional development assistance until 2030, the MEA release said.

This JDI will also create a ministerial mechanism within the framework of the IGC to provide high-level coordination and political direction to the partnership.

"PM @narendramodi and @Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz co-chaired the 6th IGC. Agreed to expand the India-Germany Strategic Partnership further to a partnership for: Shared Values and Regional and Multilateral Interests, Green and Sustainable Development, Trade, Investment and Digital Transformation, Political and Academic Exchange, Scientific Cooperation, Mobility of Workforce and People and Global Health,” Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a tweet.

"Opening new doors for employment, higher education & movement of professionals between India and Germany. Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra today initialled the Comprehensive Migration & Mobility Partnership Agreement with State Secretary of Ministry of Interior of Germany, Mahmut Õzdemir," Bagchi said in another tweet.

Modi arrived in Berlin on Monday morning on the first leg of his three-nation Europe trip that will also take him to Denmark and France.

(with PTI inputs)