India's defense minister told his Russian counterpart on Wednesday that "the nuclear option should not be resorted to" during a telephone conversation between the two, the ministry said in a press release.
Rajnath Singh "confirmed India's position on the need to follow the path of dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the conflict as soon as possible. He noted that neither side should resort to the nuclear option, as the prospect of using nuclear or radiological weapons is contrary to the basic principles of humanity," the statement said.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu mentioned "fears about possible provocations with the use of a 'dirty bomb,'" the statement said.
However, instead of severing economic ties with the Kremlin, India increased its purchases of Russian oil, coal and fertilizers, giving Putin a financial resource. And New Delhi repeatedly abstained during the vote condemning Russia at the UN.