New Delhi, May 21 (PTI) India on Saturday said it would try to extend assistance to countries which are vulnerable to the risk of food security, days after it imposed restrictions on the export of wheat.Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra indicated that the decision was driven by the need for food security within India but added that New Delhi was ready to support the countries which need its assistance.We have been extremely clear that the principle and the needs of food security in India are paramount for us. Yet at the same time, we have also been very careful and calibrated in ensuring that the needs of the economies that are vulnerable to the risk of the food security wherever possible are met, he said at a media briefing.India, one of the top wheat producers globally, banned wheat exports in a bid to check high domestic prices amid concerns of wheat output being hit by scorching heat waves.There has been some criticism over India's decision to ban the export of wheat.We also would need to respond also to the large segment of the speculative global aspects which go into the entire trade of the food commodities. I think our position on wheat in that sense in terms of the externalities of a particular commodity that you looked at, I think are very clear, Kwatra said.They flow from the principle of food security but they are also acutely conscious that whenever the needs of the other vulnerable countries are concerned, to the extent possible and to the best of our ability, we would definitely try and meet them to that extent, he said.He was responding to a question on the matter at the media briefing.

Needs of food security in India paramount for us: Foreign Secretary Kwatra

India

NewDelhi

VinayMohanKwatra

Shuvrajit Das Biswas

Delhi, India

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is travelling to Germany, Denmark, and France on a three-nation Europe visit. He will have India-Germany intergovernmental consultations with Chancellor Olaf Scholz before going to Copenhagen and meeting Nordic nation leaders. Then, Modi is slated to visit France and meet newly re-elected President Emmanuel Macron. ,The PM spoke of India's aim during the visit, saying, Through my engagements, I intend to strengthen the spirit of cooperation with our European partners, who are important companions in India’s quest for peace and prosperity. ,Also Read | Is US fighting a proxy war against Russia in Ukraine?,Modi's first foreign trip this year comes amid Russia's war in Ukraine. He will be accompanied by the newly appointed 34th Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra who reiterated India's stance on the Ukraine conflict and called for the violence to cease. ,In so far as India’s position on Ukraine is concerned, it has been amplified, made clear, enunciated in great detail in multiple fora. And I’ll just single out a few key elements of it. One, we’ve always maintained that there should be cessation of hostilities in Ukraine, and two, the path to the resolution goes through diplomacy and dialogue, the Indian diplomat said, urging for a return to diplomatic solutions. ,Also Read | Why was PM Modi honoured with first Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award?,Kwatra added, I have no doubt in my mind our European partners are not just fully aware of our position but they also have a deep appreciation in favour of the government. ,Modi, meanwhile, noted how his meeting with Macron is expected to pave the way for the next step in India and France's strategic partnership. The PM said, President Macron and I will share assessments on various regional and global issues and will take stock of ongoing bilateral cooperation. It is my firm belief that two countries that share such similar vision and values for the global order, must work in close cooperation with each other.

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<ul>
 <li>Indian PM Narendra Modi is travelling to Germany, Denmark, and France&nbsp;</li>
 <li>This is Modi's first foreign trip of 2022</li>
 <li>Modi will be accompanied by new Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Opoyi Central

What to expect from India PM Narendra Modi's 3-nation Europe trip?

NarendraModi

Europe

worldnews

World

Vinay Mohan Kwatra is the current 34th Foreign Secretary of India, having taken over from Harsh Vardhan Shringla, who is tipped to be India's chief G20 coordinator, as per The Economic Times. ,Kwatra, who has previously served as India's ambassador to France and Nepal, will accompany Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his Europe trip where the Indian head of state is slated to visit Germany, Denmark, and France. ,Early life and qualifications ,Kwatra was born on December 15, 1962, and has a Bachelor's in Science in Agriculture and Animal Husbandry (Hons.) from GBPUAT, Pantnagar. He also holds a Master's in Science. Kwatra also has a diploma in International Relations from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva. Also Read | Explained: Impact of Indonesia’s palm oil ban on India,The Indian diplomat had the shorters tenure in history, while posted in Pakistan. Kwatra arrived in Karachi as Consul in May 1993 only to return five months later. ,He is a senior Indian Foreign Services (IFS) officer from the 1988 batch and is credited with having improved India-Nepal ties during his time there. ,Career and postings,Since Kwatra joined the service, he served as Third Secretary and then Second Secretary in the Permanent Mission of India in Geneva, until 1993. Then, he was in Durban, China, and Russia, in the Indian consulate. ,During his career, Kwatra also served in India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) handling the development program in Afghanistan. He's also been head of economic, finance, and trade issues in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). ,Having Modi's ear ,When Modi became Prime Minister in 2014, and was new to external affairs, Kwatra was unofficially his interpreter for several months. ,Also Read | Why Europe is balking at a ban on Russian energy? Explained,Having heard the diplomat's past experiences from Indian missions abroad, the PM reportedly considers the new Foreign Secretary to be a fervent patriot sharing Modi's worldview, as per The Indian Express. Kwatra's views are also reportedly aligned with those of S Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister.

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<ul>
 <li>Vinay Mohan Kwatra is the current 34th Foreign Secretary of India</li>
 <li>He has taken over from Harsh Vardhan Shringla</li>
 <li>Kwatra was previously India's ambassador to France and Nepal</li>
</ul>

#VinayMohanKwatra

Needs of food security in India paramount for us: Foreign Secretary Kwatra

What to expect from India PM Narendra Modi's 3-nation Europe trip?

Who is Vinay Mohan Kwatra, India's new Foreign Secretary?