Watch: Modi reaches Ukraine; greeted with namastes, hug
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Ukraine on Friday, marking a significant moment in the history of India-Ukraine bilateral relations. This visit is particularly noteworthy as it's the first by an Indian prime minister since Ukraine gained independence in 1991. The Prime Minister was welcomed with traditional "Namastes" upon his arrival. Later, he met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Martyrologist Exposition in Kyiv. The leaders two hugged and shook hands.
PM Modi's journey and companions to Ukraine
PM Modi traveled to Kyiv from Poland on a "Rail Force One" train, a journey that lasted approximately 10 hours. This marks the second and final leg of his two-nation trip. Foreign Minister S Jaishankar is also accompanying him on the trip. Notably, the Prime Minister's visit comes nearly six weeks after his high-profile trip to Moscow, which had sparked criticism from the US and some of its Western allies.
Watch: PM Modi and President Zelenskyy's meeting in Kyiv
PM Modi's agenda and India's stance on conflict
The two leaders are scheduled to hold both one-on-one and delegation-level talks with a focus on ways to find a negotiated settlement to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. "I look forward to the opportunity to build upon earlier conversations with President Zelensky on strengthening bilateral cooperation and share perspectives on peaceful resolution of the ongoing Ukraine conflict," PM Modi had said before leaving Delhi.
Watch: PM Modi arrives in Ukraine
India's multi-alignment policy and Western criticism
India has consistently advocated for dialogue and diplomacy as the means to resolve the Russia-Ukraine war, maintaining a neutral stance despite its historically friendly ties with Russia. This approach is part of India's shift from a non-alignment policy to "multi-alignment," which involves engaging with both countries independently. However, this stance has drawn criticism from Western nations due to India's close ties with Russia amid a shadow ban on Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine.
PM Modi's previous interactions with Zelenskyy
In June, PM Modi met with President Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy. During this meeting, he emphasized India's commitment to supporting a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict through "dialogue and diplomacy." Skand Ranjan Tayal, former Indian ambassador to Russia, believes that Modi will likely reassure Zelenskyy that India hasn't taken his previous criticism to heart during their upcoming talks.
