Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham says he will try to raise his concerns about India’s position on the Russian invasion of Ukraine in a meeting he has with Narendra Modi this week.
He said on ABC RN that Australia “should always be consistent and predictable when it comes to where and to how we apply our values in the world” regarding human rights.
He said that while Australia couldn’t control what happens in other nations, the government needed to convey how it thought democratic principles should be upheld.
He said he would try and raise India’s support for Ukraine during what he expected to be a relatively short meeting.
“Of course, as part of a very contested global environment, Russia’s actions are reprehensible at present,” he said.
“There have been certain steps and statements made by India in terms of acknowledging the pressures there and engagement that’s been had in terms of their consideration of the situation in Ukraine and that’s to be welcomed.
“If we get the chance to encourage their consideration of those difficulties and support Ukraine, then I’m sure we will do so.”
But he says that China has more influence over Russia than India and that “it is right for the world to look to Beijing to play as strong a leadership role as it can to get Russia to cease its horrific invasion of Ukraine and the terrible outcomes that it’s having” instead.