Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday, reiterating India's support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine through dialogue and diplomacy. The call focused on the state of the war and on ways to deepen cooperation between the two countries across several sectors.
According to the readout of the conversation, Modi stressed a human-centric approach to the conflict, placing the welfare of ordinary people at the centre of any effort to end the fighting. Zelensky briefed the Indian Prime Minister on recent developments on the battlefield. The two leaders also discussed ways to boost bilateral engagement, and India said it would continue to contribute to efforts aimed at restoring peace.
The call did not produce any concrete breakthrough towards a ceasefire or settlement, and no new mechanism for negotiations was announced. The battlefield and the wider geopolitical situation remain fluid and unresolved, and the outcome of diplomatic efforts is still uncertain.
India has consistently called for an immediate cessation of hostilities since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. New Delhi has avoided condemning Moscow outright and has instead maintained that the conflict cannot be resolved through force. Through this period, India has kept channels of communication open with both Moscow and Kyiv, a position that reflects its long-standing and deep defence and strategic ties with Russia, alongside a steadily widening engagement with Ukraine.
That engagement took a visible form in August 2024, when Modi travelled to Kyiv, becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Ukraine. During that visit he said that peace could not be won on the battlefield, a remark that has since been repeated in India's public messaging on the war. India has also sent medicines, relief supplies and support for reconstruction to Ukraine.
Russia has responded positively to New Delhi's role. At the Valdai Discussion Club last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Modi's peace efforts, saying the Indian Prime Minister regularly asked about the prospects for ending the war. Putin also said Modi had floated ideas for a settlement that could be acceptable to the parties, although no such framework has yet been agreed.
For India, the call underlines an approach that seeks to remain engaged with both sides of the conflict while pressing for a negotiated end to hostilities. Whether that position can translate into a tangible diplomatic result will depend on developments on the ground and on the willingness of Moscow and Kyiv to return to the negotiating table.
Source: etnownews.com
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