Modi to Visit Kyiv in Balancing Act Between Russia and West
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Kyiv on Friday, in a move seen as an attempt to balance India’s relationships with both Washington and Moscow amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, Bloomberg reports, citing sources familiar with the matter.
While Modi has ruled out a mediating role in ending the conflict, sources say that India has agreed to pass messages between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to the report.
Modi’s trip to Ukraine comes just weeks after a visit to Russia, India’s longstanding ally. Modi’s trip to Moscow outraged the US administration.
“The meeting [in Kyiv] will provide an opportunity to review the entire gamut of relations including agriculture, economy, defense, pharmaceutical and people to people ties. Defense is one of the main pillars of the multifaceted relationship between India and Ukraine,” Tanmaya Lal, a top Indian diplomat, said.
Due to security concerns, Modi’s visit to Kyiv will be limited to a few hours.
From Ukraine’s perspective, the meeting with Modi is crucial for Zelensky to discuss India’s potential role in peace efforts as the South Asian nation has been central to Zelensky’s efforts to gain support from key Global South states, a strategy that has faced setbacks this year, including India’s refusal to sign a final statement on the war in Ukraine at a June summit meeting in Switzerland.
While the meeting is unlikely to produce any major announcements, several accords are in the works, including in agriculture and defense, the news agency says. Prior to arriving in Ukraine, Modi will also make a historic visit to Poland, the first by an Indian leader in over four decades.
India’s position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict has been marked by neutrality, with the country abstaining from votes condemning Russia at the United Nations and maintaining close economic ties with Moscow. However, India has also condemned the loss of civilian life in Ukraine and called for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
