Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday highlighted that the conflict in Ukraine should not be a reason for diverting attention from the Indo-Pacific, India's Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine figured at a virtual summit between the two prime ministers on Monday.
At a media briefing, Shringla added that Morrison also expressed his understanding of the Indian position on Ukraine.
There was serious concern about the ongoing conflict and humanitarian situation in Ukraine and both Modi and Morrison emphasised the need for cessation of hostilities and violence in Ukraine, Shringla said.
Unlike fellow Quad partners - the US, Japan, and Australia, India has not condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and has been maintaining that crisis should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.
Shringla said that India and Australia were keen to finalise the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement as it will unlock new opportunities to expand bilateral trade and investment ties.
In addition to Ukraine, the two leaders exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, including shared concerns over terrorism, said Shringla. He added that Modi also referred to the situation in Eastern Ladakh and he emphasised that peace and tranquillity in the region was essential for normalisation of India-China relationship.
With PTI inputs
