Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that he will discuss the peaceful resolution of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia during his upcoming visit to Kyiv this week, following his trip to Moscow over a month ago. Modi is set to leave for Poland on Wednesday and will arrive in Kyiv on Friday, marking the first visit to Ukraine by an Indian prime minister since the establishment of diplomatic relations over three decades ago.
This visit comes after Modi's July 8-9 trip to Moscow, which faced criticism from the US and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky due to its timing with a deadly Russian attack on a children's hospital in Kyiv. Modi implicitly criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin by condemning the killing of innocent children. The brief visit to Kyiv is viewed by many Indian analysts as an effort to mitigate the fallout from the Moscow visit and as a strategic move at a time when New Delhi is strengthening ties with the West, especially Washington.
Indian diplomats assert that New Delhi's relationships with Russia and Ukraine are separate, and this trip is part of ongoing interactions across various sectors. Modi expressed his anticipation in a statement before his departure, stating, "I look forward to the opportunity to ... share perspectives on peaceful resolution of the ongoing Ukraine conflict." He added, "As a friend and partner, we hope for an early return of peace and stability in the region."
India and Russia have maintained close ties since the Soviet Union era, and New Delhi has not explicitly condemned Moscow's attack on Ukraine, instead advocating for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve differences. Since the war began, Russia has become India's top oil supplier, with Indian refiners purchasing cheap Russian crude. New Delhi has also continued engagement with Kyiv, with Modi meeting Zelensky at the G7 summit in Italy in June and having several phone conversations.
While there have been suggestions in diplomatic circles for India to mediate in ending the war in Ukraine, New Delhi has been cautious, only stating its willingness to offer support for a peaceful resolution. C Raja Mohan of the Singapore-based Institute of South Asian Studies commented in the Indian Express that Modi's visit to Warsaw and Kyiv might not be about a new Indian peace initiative on Ukraine, but rather about enhancing New Delhi's ties in Central Europe.
