As he arrived in Hiroshima for the G7 summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that India is on the side of peace and will stay firmly there. He also claimed that he will raise the issues of the developing countries at the conference.
In an interview, Modi, while talking about relations with China, also said India remained fully prepared and committed to protect its sovereignty and dignity and that peace and tranquility along the border was essential for normalising relations.
Modi said India is committed to supporting those who face challenges in meeting their basic needs, especially in the face of rising costs of food, fuel, and fertilisers.
“We maintain communication with both Russia and Ukraine,” he said in an interview to Nikkei Asia, adding that cooperation and collaboration “should define our times, not conflict. " Modi will have bilateral meetings with the leaders of Japan, Vietnam, France and Ukraine and also participate in the Quad summit. India and the US are discussing the possibility of a meeting between Modi and President Joe Biden.
When asked about relations with China, Modi emphasised India's respect for sovereignty, the rule of law, and peaceful conflict resolution while stating that India is fully prepared and dedicated to protecting its own dignity. “Peace and tranquility in the border areas are essential for normal bilateral ties with China,” Modi said. “The future development of India-China relationship can only be based on mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interests,” Modi said, noting that “normalising” the ties would benefit the wider region and the world. The PM also touched upon relations with Pakistan saying India seeks “normal and neighborly relations”.