Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid an historic visit to Kyiv in late August, becoming the first Indian leader to travel to the country since Ukraine regained independence in 1991. Modi’s arrival in the Ukrainian capital was billed as part of ongoing international efforts to secure a peaceful resolution to the war between Ukraine and Russia. Many also saw his trip as further evidence of Delhi’s diplomatic balancing act, as India seeks to counter negative perceptions of its close economic and defense ties with Moscow while underlining its status as an emerging geopolitical power in its own right.
Prior to Modi’s visit, some analysts suggested he was heading to Kyiv with damage limitation in mind following a backlash over his July trip to Moscow and embrace of Russian President Vladimir Putin at a time when Russian missiles were raining down on targets in Kyiv, including the country’s largest children’s hospital. Modi’s high-profile hug with Putin brought a sharp rebuke from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that initially threatened to spark a diplomatic rift between Delhi and Kyiv. However, the two leaders appear to have opted for a more constructive response.
Speaking alongside Zelenskyy in Kyiv, Modi’s peace rhetoric was largely unchanged from the message he had delivered weeks earlier in Moscow. He stressed that only dialog and diplomacy could end the fighting, while also voicing his support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Significantly, Modi arrived in Ukraine amid the country’s surprise cross-border offensive into Kursk Oblast. While the Ukrainian invasion of Russia was not on the official agenda, Modi’s presence did suggest recognition that the operation falls within Ukraine’s right to self-defense.
Voice of Ukraine 