New Delhi (26.08.2025): Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Ukraine for talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the eve of Ukrainian Independence Day and just over a month after his visit to Moscow is dubbed as a fine balancing of diplomatic relations. The visit may serve purpose like economic ties, increasing cooperation in defense and technology, India to project itself as a peacemaker, engage in humanitarian assistance and damage control in terms of optics. It enjoys close ties with Russia, so India does not want to alienate the West.
However, the West prevailed over Zelenskyy which reflected in his post visit press conference that could have been discussed bilaterally. Zelenskyy got the money from the US and the West in two years that is akin to Defence budget of India. Still India offered to negotiate peace settlement through "dialogue and diplomacy." Modi expressed gratitude towards the Ukrainian government for their help in evacuating Indian students under "Operation Ganga".
India maintained ties with Russia after invasion of Ukraine and did not held Kremlin responsible for the war. Russia is a long-term ally and Ukraine also has had friendly relations with India. It is a difficult task to manage this, especially because Ukraine has received strong support from the West.
New Delhi was not concerned that the Kyiv visit could jeopardize India's relations with Moscow. Tiptoeing between US, Russia, China Military, trade and diplomatic ties between Russia and India run deep. India purchases over 40 per cent of its oil and 60 per cent of its armaments from Russia, and also imports significant amounts of coal, fertilizer, vegetable oil and precious metals.
The fact that Russia is being shunned by the Western countries over the Ukraine invasion is working in the favor of India, as it motivates Moscow to pursue even closer ties. Also, New Delhi is wary that alienating Moscow could push Russia closer to China which is a big threat to India. The US and other Western countries are not happy with Narendra Modi's Russia-friendly stance. However, the West also doesn't want India to lose its influence on Moscow, as India is counterbalancing China not in the region but globally.
(By Vinod Kumar Shukla)
