India and Austria steps forward to call for peace in Ukraine

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer met in Vienna, advocating for peace in Ukraine through dialogue. They discussed expanding bilateral cooperation in trade, technology, and energy. Modi invited Austrian investments and participation in Indian-led global initiatives.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Austria’s Chancellor Karl Nehammer discussed the ongoing war in Ukraine during a long meeting in Vienna on Wednesday. This visit is the first one of an Indian premier to Vienna in the last 41 years which shows a fresh beginning in the bilateral relations.

In the meeting, the two leaders stressed on the importance of diplomatic processes and negotiations to solve the Ukraine issue. Prime Minister Modi again emphasized that it cannot be solved on the grounds, which he also told Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on the previous day.

“I have always mentioned this is not the time for war, issues cannot be sorted out by wars,” Modi said while speaking to the media in Hindi after the meeting. He emphasised that no loss of innocent lives can be justified anywhere in the world and both India and Austria are ready to contribute towards the restoration of peace and order.

Chancellor Nehammer stresses that one must listen to how India comprehends this situation, as it is a country of the Global South and the largest democracy in the world. He also outlined Austria’s readiness to be the ‘honest broker’ in the process of peacemaking stating the country’s neutrality and its non-membership in NATO as advantages.

The leaders also touched on the prospects for growing the spheres of bilateral cooperation, including trade, investments, science and technology, green energy, climate change, etc. With current two way trade at 2. 7 billion euros, both sides believe that they could expand even further.

Modi invited Austria to become a partner country in initiatives led by India such as the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure. He also insisted on the need for Austrian firms to invest in India particularly in infrastructure, renewable energy and innovations.

The official visit ended with Modi’s meeting with Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen and the speech of the Indian Prime Minister at the business forum with CEOs of both countries aimed at developing economic cooperation between the two states.

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Thus, the ongoing geopolitical tensions indicate that while the world faces problems, diplomatic meetings and economic cooperation are essential for their resolution.