Editorial: Mr Fix It

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s historic visit to Ukraine is being viewed by the global polity with bated breath — leaders in both first world nations as well as the global south believe New Delhi can play an essential, constructive role in ending the Russia-Ukraine war which has now entered its third year. This trip is noteworthy on account of being the first visit undertaken by an Indian Prime Minister to Ukraine, since diplomatic relations were established between the two countries in 1992. The diplomatic overture is also significant on account of being held in a conflict zone where the ongoing hostilities has escalated dangerously. It was just last week that Ukraine had launched a surprise invasion of Russia’s Kursk region, while the Russians doubled down in Ukraine’s Donetsk. The belligerents seem to be establishing territorial buffers to strengthen their negotiating positions for potential peace talks in the future.

Balancing India’s position occupied a prime spot in Modi’s priorities during this visit. This is pertinent, considering India’s abstention from all UN resolutions critical of Russia’s aggression since 2022. New Delhi had also opted to disassociate itself from the outcome document at the Swiss Peace Conference that was held in June. It had certainly dismayed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was critical of Modi locking Russian President Vladimir Putin in a warm embrace this July, terming it a blow to peace efforts. New Delhi was obviously keen on preserving its security and economic ties with Moscow.

Having said that, Modi’s visit was viewed as an affirmation of New Delhi’s support for Ukraine’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity. The meeting of the leaders also witnessed the signing of four documents between the two nations, which covered healthcare, agricultural cooperation, humanitarian relations, and culture, a joint statement focussed on developing a strategic partnership, bilateral trade, and continued military-technical cooperation. India’s willingness to be part of Ukraine’s reconstruction, a monumental task that would require billions of dollars, will be key to future collaboration between the two nations in the areas of infrastructure and technology,

The optics of the Kyiv stopover are far-reaching when you consider that Modi is one of the few world leaders to have personally visited the two warring nations during the military engagement. The meeting has transpired at a time when European nations are experiencing distress over the rising costs associated with the war, while the US finds itself preoccupied with its own do-or-die presidential election. The scenario has offered New Delhi an epochal opportunity to play peace-maker, while building on its reputation of non-alignment.

In a recent commentary, a former Indian diplomat to Poland had remarked that Modi’s visit to Kyiv was not really about cosying up to the West, but lending a loud and clear voice on behalf of the global south, whose nations bear the brunt of the falling-out of advanced nations vis-a-vis food, energy and health security. One must also pay heed to India’s concerns regarding the relationship between Russia and China, which has now blossomed into a limitless geopolitical and military alliance, backed by Iran and North Korea. New Delhi is doubly cautious about protecting its strategic and geopolitical interests, which involves deterring the aforementioned alliance from dominating the global south and threatening our territorial integrity. India’s role in bringing the two belligerents to the conversation table, no matter how fractional, will raise the world’s largest democracy to the stature of an international influencer.