Australia ‘understands’ why India can’t be vocal about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: analysts
- Australia has ‘engaged with the Indian system’, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said when asked to address New Delhi’s silence on the Ukraine war and alleged domestic rights abuses
- Her reticence on calling out New Delhi over Moscow’s actions reveal the complexity of India-Russia ties and its security alliance with Australia, analysts say
Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who is in the Indian capital this week for the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting, fronted thorny questions on how Australia was handling India’s silence on the Ukraine war and Canberra’s position on Delhi’s alleged rights abuses of minority groups.
Wong said as close friends, both sides “regularly” discussed human rights issues, including minority rights.
Wong was also asked whether India’s banning of a BBC documentary about those riots had concerned Australia given its impact on press freedom.
“Obviously, we have engaged with the Indian system on those issues and on other issues,” Wong said.
The top Australian diplomat was less hazy in a separate press conference on Friday evening, when she confirmed that she spoke to her Indian counterpart S Jaishankar about Australia’s commitment to human rights issues and press freedom.