<p>India opened its G20 presidency on Thursday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling for an end to war, implicitly rebuking longstanding ally Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.</p>.<p>New Delhi and Moscow have ties dating back to the Cold War, and Russia remains by far India's biggest arms supplier.</p>.<p>India has shied away from explicit condemnations of Russia over the war despite its economy being stung by the soaring oil and commodities prices that followed.</p>.<p>Modi has pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the conflict, including at a face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of a major regional summit in September.</p>.<p>He reiterated that call in an article outlining India's ambitions for the G20 forum -- of which Russia is a member -- released by the government and published by the <em>Telegraph </em>newspaper in Britain.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/india-taking-over-g20-presidency-watershed-moment-p-k-mishra-1167402.html" target="_blank">India taking over G20 presidency watershed moment: P K Mishra</a></strong></p>.<p>"Today, we do not need to fight for our survival - our era need not be one of war. Indeed, it must not be one!" Modi wrote.</p>.<p>The invasion of Ukraine, a country known as the "breadbasket of Europe", has periodically disrupted grain shipments and raised the spectre of a global food crisis.</p>.<p>Modi said India would "seek to depoliticise the global supply of food, fertilizers and medical products, so that geo-political tensions do not lead to humanitarian crises".</p>.<p>"As in our own families, those whose needs are the greatest must always be our first concern."</p>.<p>New Delhi has long walked a tightrope in its relations with the West and Moscow -- and the Russian invasion of Ukraine has highlighted the difficulty of that balancing act.</p>.<p>It has repeatedly brushed off calls from Washington to condemn Moscow, despite pursuing greater security ties with the United States.</p>.<p>Putin visited New Delhi last year, bear-hugging Modi and hailing India as a "great power" as the two men bolstered military and energy ties.</p>.<p>The Asian giant of 1.4 billion people is also a major consumer of Russian oil, ramping up discounted purchases in the wake of a Western embargo.</p>
<p>India opened its G20 presidency on Thursday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling for an end to war, implicitly rebuking longstanding ally Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.</p>.<p>New Delhi and Moscow have ties dating back to the Cold War, and Russia remains by far India's biggest arms supplier.</p>.<p>India has shied away from explicit condemnations of Russia over the war despite its economy being stung by the soaring oil and commodities prices that followed.</p>.<p>Modi has pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the conflict, including at a face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of a major regional summit in September.</p>.<p>He reiterated that call in an article outlining India's ambitions for the G20 forum -- of which Russia is a member -- released by the government and published by the <em>Telegraph </em>newspaper in Britain.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/india-taking-over-g20-presidency-watershed-moment-p-k-mishra-1167402.html" target="_blank">India taking over G20 presidency watershed moment: P K Mishra</a></strong></p>.<p>"Today, we do not need to fight for our survival - our era need not be one of war. Indeed, it must not be one!" Modi wrote.</p>.<p>The invasion of Ukraine, a country known as the "breadbasket of Europe", has periodically disrupted grain shipments and raised the spectre of a global food crisis.</p>.<p>Modi said India would "seek to depoliticise the global supply of food, fertilizers and medical products, so that geo-political tensions do not lead to humanitarian crises".</p>.<p>"As in our own families, those whose needs are the greatest must always be our first concern."</p>.<p>New Delhi has long walked a tightrope in its relations with the West and Moscow -- and the Russian invasion of Ukraine has highlighted the difficulty of that balancing act.</p>.<p>It has repeatedly brushed off calls from Washington to condemn Moscow, despite pursuing greater security ties with the United States.</p>.<p>Putin visited New Delhi last year, bear-hugging Modi and hailing India as a "great power" as the two men bolstered military and energy ties.</p>.<p>The Asian giant of 1.4 billion people is also a major consumer of Russian oil, ramping up discounted purchases in the wake of a Western embargo.</p>