Members in the Rajya Sabha during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Thursday, July 21, 2022.

New Delhi: India has called upon the Russian and Ukrainian sides to return to the path of diplomacy and dialogue, and also expressed its support for all diplomatic efforts to end the conflict between the two countries, the government told Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

In a written reply to a question on whether the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) voted for launching an enquiry into alleged serious violations committed by Russian troops in Ukraine, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said the UNHRC at its 49th session in March adopted a resolution by vote to urgently establish an independent international Commission of Inquiry, with the mandate to, among other things, investigate all alleged violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law, and related crimes.

The Commission of Inquiry’s mandate is to establish the facts, circumstances, and root causes of any such violations and abuses and to make recommendations, in particular on accountability measures, all with a view to ending impunity and ensuring accountability, he said.

On the reasons India chose to abstain from voting, Muraleedharan said India had abstained on the resolution in view of our policy to support dialogue and diplomacy and taking into consideration the totality of the circumstances on ground.

Since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, India has consistently called for immediate cessation of hostilities and an end to the violence, he said.

“Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) has spoken to the Presidents of Ukraine and Russia on multiple occasions and advocated India’s position. India has called upon both sides to return to the path of diplomacy and dialogue, and also expressed its support for all diplomatic efforts to end the conflict,” the minister said.

India has also been providing humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and its neighbouring countries, he said.

Minister of State for External Affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, to a separate question on the list of the most favoured nations and details of initiatives taken by Government to strengthen ties in the last three years to enhance mutual cooperation with them, said India, as a Member of World Trade Organisation (WTO), extends MFN status to all other members of the WTO, except Pakistan.

The government’s consistent position has been that India desires normal relations with all its neighbours and is committed to addressing issues, if any, bilaterally and peacefully in an atmosphere free of terror, hostility and violence, the minister said.