Ukraine Crisis | Quiet, constructive diplomacy need of the hour: India's UN Permanent Representative at UNSC meeting

India's Permanent Representative to United Nations TS Tirumurti at UNSC meeting.

Amid the ongoing crisis between Russia and Ukraine, India's Permanent Representative to United Nations TS Tirumurti said on February 17 that quiet and constructive diplomacy is the need of the hour.

Speaking at the UNSC (United Nations Security Council) meeting on Ukraine, Tirumurti said, "Any steps that increase tension may best be avoided by all sides in the larger interest of securing international peace and security. Quiet and constructive diplomacy is the need of the hour."

India's interest is in finding a solution that can provide for immediate de-escalation of tensions taking into account legitimate security interests of all countries to secure long-term peace, stability in the region and beyond, the diplomat added.

ALSO READ: No immediate plan to evacuate Indians from Ukraine, says MEA

Apart from this, Tirumurti said that well-being of Indian nationals is a priority. "More than 20,000 Indian students and nationals live and study in different parts of Ukraine, including in its border areas. The well-being of Indian nationals is of priority to us," Tirumurti said.

India also reiterated its call for the peaceful resolution of the situation by sincere and sustained diplomatic efforts to ensure that concerns of all sides are amicably resolved through constructive dialogue.

Earlier in the day, the Ministry of External Affairs said it has no immediate plans to evacuate Indians from Ukraine, which according to United States President Joe Biden, runs the risk of being invaded by Russia.

MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said: “There are no immediate evacuation plans; we don’t have any special flights. A limited number of flights were operating under the air bubble arrangements, but the restrictions on the number of flights and passengers have been removed. Indian carriers are now being encouraged to operate chartered flights between India and Ukraine.”