Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a phone call on Monday, November 9, that India is ready to contribute to all efforts aimed at a peaceful resolution of the conflict. The Prime Minister's Office issued a readout of the conversation, in which Zelensky briefed Modi on recent developments in the war.

According to the readout, Modi reiterated India's position that the conflict should be settled through dialogue and diplomacy. The two leaders also discussed expanding bilateral cooperation across several sectors. The exchange reflects a continuing effort to deepen ties between New Delhi and Kyiv even as the war goes on, and it follows a sequence of Indian diplomatic steps in recent months.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, speaking at a meeting of G20 foreign ministers in Atlanta, said India was in talks with Russia, Ukraine and European countries. He outlined three focus areas. The first is civilian shipping and the safety of seafarers. The second is the restoration of Black Sea grain exports, which have been sharply reduced. The third is a so-called non-attack on energy arrangement, which he described as the hardest element to secure.

Jaishankar also noted that the term 'energy' in such an arrangement remains unclear, since refineries, power grids and fuel ships could each be understood differently. Grain flows matter in particular to buyers in the Global South, and Jaishankar said India was coordinating with the United States, with the Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefed in rough terms on the approach.

India's engagement has included contacts at the highest levels with both sides. Modi has met Russian President Vladimir Putin in New Delhi and earlier in Bishkek. Jaishankar visited Moscow and held talks with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. In September, he made a visit to Kyiv, the first standalone bilateral visit to Ukraine by an Indian external affairs minister. There he met Zelensky and discussed bilateral ties and approaches to ending the conflict. Zelensky thanked India for wanting to see the war end.

Jaishankar has declined to share details of the state of play publicly, and no concrete agreement on energy or shipping terms has been reported. For now, the Modi-Zelensky call underlines India's stated willingness to take part in peace efforts, while the specifics of any arrangement remain under discussion.

Source: morungexpress.com

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