There is a big message hidden in PM Modi's visit
After meeting Putin in Moscow, Modi went straight to Vienna. This is very important. Austria is a European country, but is not part of NATO. NATO is a US-led military alliance, which is against Russia. This week, 32 NATO leaders met in Washington DC. The whole world was watching this visit. Modi told Putin that the death of innocent children is very sad. He said that peace talks cannot succeed amid bombs, guns and bullets. The solution to any conflict cannot be found on the battlefield. Modi's statement shows that India is very concerned about the missile attack on the children's hospital by Russia. This attack took place when Modi was in Russia. In December 2023, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar went to Moscow to meet Putin and his Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Even then Russia carried out the biggest air strike on Ukraine. This attack was the biggest since the war started in February 2022. According to the Ukrainian army, at least 31 people were killed in this attack.
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India's clear message to western countries
The day after meeting Putin, Modi met Chancellor Karl Nehammer in Vienna. He again stressed that this is not the time for war. Problems cannot be solved on the battlefield. Loss of innocent lives anywhere is unacceptable. This repetition was India's clear message to the Western countries. Western countries were worried about the bilateral meeting between Modi and Putin.
Vienna was occupied by Nazi forces during World War II. After the war ended, the US, Britain, France, and the Soviet Union divided Vienna into four parts. This was overseen by an Allied commission. After the war ended, the Allies occupied Austria for a decade.
- In 1955, the four countries signed the Austrian State Treaty with the Austrian government. This treaty made Austria an independent country. The Soviet Union wanted Austria to remain neutral. Austria's position was between capitalist Western Europe and the communist bloc in the East. Therefore, the four countries pledged to maintain Austria's territorial integrity and integrity.
- The 1955 treaty bound Austria to neutrality. All countries ratified the treaty. Austria's constitution prohibits joining military alliances and the establishment of foreign military bases on Austrian territory.
- In 1952-53, the people of Austria sought help from Jawaharlal Nehru. Nehru was respected in both the Western countries and the Soviet Union. Austria wanted to regain a sovereign nation. India was one of the few countries that supported Austria's appeal to the United Nations General Assembly in 1952. Austria's appeal was to end the occupation of the Allies and restore its sovereignty.
Nehru attended the coronation of Elizabeth II
Karl Gruber, Austria's foreign minister, said the consent of such an important country (India) – whose neutrality is beyond any doubt in the East-West conflict – was particularly beneficial to Austria. In June 1953, Gruber and Nehru attended the coronation of Elizabeth II in London. According to media reports of the time, the two met the next morning. British historian Sir John Wheeler-Bennett wrote in his book The Political Settlement After the Second World War (1972) that Nehru's role as a diplomatic mediator introduced an entirely new aspect to the Austrian treaty discussions. The famous Austrian philosopher Köchler, quoting a report published in the Austrian daily Neues Österreich on June 21, 1953, said, 'Prime Minister Nehru… is undoubtedly the only man in international politics whose 'good services' can be effective in Austria's efforts to realize the State Treaty.'
Chancellor Nehammer recalls Nehru's role
In June 1955, Austria gained full independence through a State Treaty. About a month later, Nehru made a state visit to the country, the first ever by a foreign leader. On Wednesday, Chancellor Nehammer recalled Nehru's role. “The situation was difficult, it was difficult to make progress. It was Foreign Minister Gruber who approached Prime Minister Nehru to seek support in the negotiations, to bring them to a positive conclusion. That is what happened. India helped Austria and the negotiations reached a positive conclusion with the Austrian State Treaty,” he said as Prime Minister Modi listened.
India and Austria have very old relations
Diplomatic relations between India and Austria were established on November 10, 1949 – this year marks its 75th anniversary. A year after Indira Gandhi’s visit in 1983, Austrian Chancellor Fred Sinowatz visited India. President K R Narayanan came to Austria on a state visit in November 1999. Austrian President Dr Heinz Fischer visited in February 2005, and President Pratibha Patil visited Austria in October 2011. Austria’s Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg has an interesting relationship with India. When he visited India in March 2022 with a high-level business delegation, it was revealed that his father Wolfgang Schallenberg was Austria’s ambassador to India between 1974 and 1978, and the current foreign minister had studied at a school in New Delhi. Alexander Schallenberg followed in his father’s footsteps, entered the Austrian foreign service and became his country’s foreign minister in 2019. He became chancellor for three months in 2021, and has been foreign minister since December 2021. So, when Schellenberg met Jaishankar, there was an instant rapport between them – as both were career diplomats who became foreign ministers, both are sons of eminent government officials.
Both countries adopted a balanced approach in the Russia-Ukraine war
On Wednesday, Chancellor Nehammer and Prime Minister Modi recognised the potential to take the bilateral partnership to even greater heights. The two countries have adopted a balanced approach to the Russia-Ukraine war. Even though Austria supported EU sanctions against Russia. But on April 11, 2022, Chancellor Nehammer became the first European leader to meet President Putin to discuss ending the war. Austria has publicly criticised Russia's actions in Ukraine, but trade relations between the two countries remain largely intact, and it continues to import gas from Russia.