Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a day-long official visit to Kiev on August 23, at the invitation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during which the Ukraine conflict would be part of the discussions with India voicing its willingness to provide all support required to finding a peaceful solution.
Ministry of External Affairs Secretary West Tanmaya Lal, briefing the media on the PM’s upcoming visit, also declined to comment on any comparisons between the PM’s July 8-9 visit to Moscow and his talks with President Vladimir Putin, that had elicited a rash of angry outbursts from the West, and the Ukraine visit.
He said that India’s relationship with Ukraine is “substantive and independent” (of ties with Moscow).
“This relationship has been substantive and independent; these are broad ties. The partnerships (with Moscow and Kiev) stand on their own; it is not a zero sum game,” he said, adding that when PM Modi travelled to Russia the two leaders discussed many ideas.
To questions on any peace plan that the PM would be presenting, the official reiterated India’s stand.
“The Ukrainian conflict is ongoing, and we have said that any resolution can come only through dialogue and diplomacy. PM Modi has also said that this is not the time for war, and a solution cannot be found on the battlefield. We believe that a large majority of countries share this view.”
“India has expressed that we are willing to provide all the support required to Ukraine, both in terms of finding a peaceful solution, and in the recovery (reconstruction) process later,” he added.
He said the ongoing Ukrainian conflict will form part of the discussions between PM Modi and President Zelenskyy.
On humanitarian aid delivered to Ukraine, he said that India has so far delivered 16 batches of assistance, which include 135 tonnes of material, and further assistance is being explored.
He also said that while 18,000 Indian students had been brought back in 2021 under Operation Ganga, more than 1,000 went back and are still there, even as the war is intensifying.
He said the Indian Embassy in Kiev is in close touch with the Indian students and providing every assistance.
