Balazs Orban, Political Director of the Prime Minister and Member of Parliament of Hungary, expressed his belief that India is emerging as a significant global power and is playing a crucial role in resolving the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
In an interview with ANI, Orban praised India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, stating, “Your foreign minister is doing a wonderful job. He is representing India in a very strong way on the world stage. India is a rising power. It is playing a more and more important role. It is playing in many conflicts, stabilizing role in the Ukrainian-Russian conflict as well. We think that we are on the same side, on the side of peace, and we try to coordinate our efforts, to convince the parties, the two parties that are involved in that conflict, and all the potential mediators to do more to stop the bloodshed.”
Orban emphasized Hungary’s commitment to a peaceful resolution of the war and commented on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Ukraine. He described such initiatives as “very important,” adding that Modi’s statements from the visit are “better for the world.”
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“I think these are very important initiatives. My Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, just after the European Parliamentary elections started the so-called Peace Mission Tour, where he went to Kyiv, Moscow, Beijing, and Washington. He also met with former President Donald Trump, the candidate of the Republican Party, and tried to convince all players to have a new strategy, because what happened in the last two and a half years brought us nowhere, and hundreds of people died, and there is a serious risk of escalation. I think these are very important initiatives, and the more initiatives like this and like Prime Minister Modi’s statements are better for the world,” said Orban.
Orban also spoke about the strengthening India-Hungary relations, noting the alignment of both countries’ visions. “India is a civilization, and even in this modern period of time, only those countries can be successful which are building their foreign policy and also domestic policy on cultural values and historical roots,” Orban said.
He expressed hope for “higher-level visits” between New Delhi and Budapest, reflecting on the commonalities between the Hungarian Conservative Party and the BJP. “I think that even on the party basis, the Hungarian Conservative Party and the BJP have many things in common. As we were discussing the idea of sovereignty, fighting against progressives, and advocating in favor of peace and economic cooperation. These are all pillars of our policies. So I’m convinced that we should put more energy into getting our nations and our national leaders closer to each other,” he added.
Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with Hungarian MP Balazs Orban in New Delhi. Jaishankar appreciated Orban’s interest in the historical connection between India and Hungary. “Glad to meet Hungarian MP @BalazsOrban_HU today in Delhi,” Jaishankar wrote on X. “A good conversation on our perspectives of the world. Appreciate his interest in our historical connect.”
In March this year, a parliamentary delegation led by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman, RS Harivansh, visited Hungary from March 7-8, invited by Istvan Yakab, Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly. Harivansh was accompanied by two Rajya Sabha members, Ashok Bajpai and Lt Gen (Retd) DP Vats, along with Rajya Sabha Secretary-General PC Mody.
Diplomatic relations between India and Hungary are warm, friendly, and multi-faceted, marking the 75th anniversary of their agreement in 2023. There have been regular parliamentary exchanges between the two countries, including Zsolt Nemeth’s visit to India in January 2024 as President of the Parliamentary Committee for Foreign Affairs of the Hungarian Parliament.
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