Jaishankar said Prime Minister Modi has asked that all efforts be made to evacuate Indian students
Rajkot, Gujarat:
Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar praised Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, saying that the reason India was able to maintain a firm stance in the Russia-Ukraine conflict was because of “clear instructions” from the top leadership.
He said that despite external pressure against buying Russian oil, Prime Minister Modi has issued clear instructions to put the interests of Indian consumers first.
“The biggest change that has happened is that now the same ministries and bureaucrats are judged on the basis of their performance. So, it is about leadership and motivation,” Jaishankar said during an interaction in Rajkot, Gujarat.
Recalling the conflict period, he said Prime Minister Modi asked that all efforts be made to evacuate Indian students.
“When we sensed tensions rising in Ukraine, we asked Indian students to evacuate… As soon as the war started, I was given very clear instructions, do whatever you want at all costs, get the entire department to take action, but Want all Indian students to come back. This is what happens when you get clear instructions,” he said.
He said that despite external pressure, India still puts the interests of consumers first when buying Russian oil.
“As we all know, we are under a lot of pressure not to buy oil from Ukraine. If we did not buy oil from Russia, we would have to buy oil from the Gulf countries. This will cause oil prices to rise. What you will get for 100 rupees will cost you 125 Rs,” said S Jaishankar.
“I was asked how I was able to maintain such a clear stance under so much pressure. I was able to do this because I had very clear instructions from the Prime Minister. I was told to prioritize Indian consumption interests,” he added.
Recalling another serious issue during the conflict, EAM said how officials traveled to Ukraine to evacuate students.
“During the war in Ukraine, the fighting in a certain area was very intense and the trapped students said they would not leave their dormitories unless someone came from our side. I called my officers and two of them were sent to evacuate the students.” They were both very brave, but I can tell everyone in the room was ready. This is what has changed today,” S Jaishankar further said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
