Targeting infrastructure and causing civilian deaths not acceptable: EAM

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Tuesday that targeting infrastructure and causing civilian deaths is not acceptable in any part of the world and emphasised on the need for both sides in the Ukraine conflict to return to the path of diplomacy and dialogue as "this conflict is not helping anybody at all."

Jaishankar made the remarks while responding to questions after his address at the Lowy Institute on the growing importance of India's relationship with Australia and the interests that both countries share as members of the security-focused Quad.

"We really think that targeting infrastructure and causing civilian deaths is not acceptable in any part of the world," Jaishankar said while responding to a question on Russia's missile strikes targeting key cities across Ukraine on Monday, including the capital Kyiv which is being seen as the most intense attack since the conflict started on February 24.

Jaishankar emphasised on the need to return to the path of diplomacy and dialogue to resolve the conflict, saying "this conflict is not helping anybody at all."

He said this conflict is hurting a large part of the world today because the daily lives of the people are impacted in a very, very damaging manner. "And these countries with whom we identify ourselves most of these countries and they are actually feeling frustrated because they feel that their problems are being neglected," the minister said.

His comments came a day after India voted to reject Russia's demand for a secret ballot in the UN General Assembly on a draft resolution to condemn Moscow's illegal annexation of four regions of Ukraine. India favoured a public vote on the text along with over 100 other nations.

On Monday, India's External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson said the escalation of hostilities was in no one's interest and noted that India stood ready to support all such efforts aimed at de-escalation of the situation.

India has not yet condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and maintained that the crisis must be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue. India has abstained on votes on the Ukraine conflict in the UN General Assembly and the Security Council.