India among few nations able to engage with Russia, Ukraine, Israel, and Iran: Jaishankar

Madrid, Jan 14 (PTI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has underlined India’s potential role in ending global conflicts, saying that it is one of the few countries that is in a position to hold talks with both Russia and Ukraine, and with Israel and Iran.

Jaishankar, who is on a two-day visit to Spain, made these remarks during an interaction with the Indian community here on Monday in an apparent reference to the wars in Ukraine and in West Asia, where Israel is fighting Iran-backed Hamas.

The minister said India is today seen as contributing to a global conversation that when the "world is looking at many, many challenges, different issues, we also come up with ideas and initiatives".

“There are very few countries today who are in a position to talk to Russia and to Ukraine,” he said.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year visited Russia twice and also went to Kyiv in Ukraine.

India is one of the few countries which is in a position to talk to Israel and Iran as well and Prime Minister Modi is able to do both, being a member of the Quad and BRICS, he said.

“So, this is something which is actually very, very unique. And it is unique because if you look at the world, it is a very polarised world,” he added.

The Quad consists of Australia, Japan the US and India while the BRICS grouping now has Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the UAE as its members.

Jaishankar further said India was the one who brought the African Union into the G20 which should have been done years ago.

The minister said India has a plan to make 4,000 kilometres of new tracks every year, and every day 12 to 14 kilometres of new rail tracks are built.

The minister further said that 28 kilometres of highways are being built every day and in the last 10 years, the number of airports in the country has doubled from 75 to more than 150.

Jaishankar said the number of metro trains in India has grown from six in 2014 to 21 today and we plan to take it to 60 cities.

The external affairs minister also highlighted India’s achievements in sectors like space technology as it managed to land on the south side of the moon with its Chandrayaan-3 mission.

Jaishankar said India and Spain would mark 2026 as a "dual year", where they would be celebrating culture, tourism and artificial intelligence in both countries.

Jaishankar said he has been to Spain as a tourist a little more than 20 years ago and added that in 2017, he had the privilege of coming here with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2017.

He said President Pedro Sanchez’s visit to India last year was a very successful one and his agreement with Modi that both countries should make a special effort to take their relationship forward.

Jaishankar also announced that Spain will soon open a consulate in Bengaluru, calling it a “good sign” for deepening the relations between both the countries.

He urged the diaspora to remain in touch with India and follow the debates and conversations happening in the country.

“The biggest change I have seen in the last 10 years is the importance that the Government of India, the people of India have put on the contribution of diaspora,” he said.

Jaishankar credited Modi for making Indians understand the invaluable contribution made by the diaspora.

This is Jaishankar’s first visit to Spain as the external affairs minister - nearly two-and-a-half months after Spanish President Pedro Sanchez visited India.

On Monday, Jaishankar met his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares and discussed regional and global issues. PTI