'Will lead to peace, stability in wider region': India welcomes Israel-Lebanon ceasefire

New Delhi: India on Wednesday welcomed the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon and said it hoped that these developments will lead to "peace and stability" in the wider region.

The ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon-based Hezbollah began early Wednesday morning, according to reports.

"We welcome the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon that has been announced. We have always called for de-escalation, restraint and return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy. We hope these developments will lead to peace and stability in the wider region," the Ministry of External Affair said in a statement.

In early October, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had termed the conflict in West Asia as a cause of "great concern" and "deep worry", even as he had said that in a globalised world, a conflict anywhere actually creates problems everywhere.

Honestly today, whether it is the conflict in Ukraine or the conflict in the Middle East (West Asia), these are "big factors of instability, big factors of concern", Jaishankar had said during an event here.

Long-displaced residents of south Lebanon have begun to return to their homes amid celebrations hours after the ceasefire, the reports in international media said.