Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Ukraine next month. This would be his first trip to the war-torn nation since Russia invaded its neighbor in February 2022.
Modi’s Visit Details
The visitcould happen in the third week of August, according to a WION report. During this trip, Modi will hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
This visit to Kyiv would come a little over a month after Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
India-Ukraine Relations
New Delhi has long-standing ties with Kyiv. India was among the first countries to recognize Ukraine, with the two establishing diplomatic relations in January 1992.
Both before and after the Soviet era, the nations maintained a friendly partnership. Their cooperation extends to various areas such as cultural exchange and trade.
Trade Relations
Agriculture trade forms a “bedrock” of India-Ukraine’s trading relationship, with Kyiv exporting more than $2 billion worth of goods in 2021, according to the Indian Express. However, this trade has suffered since the Russia-Ukraine war.
In 2022, the trade volume between India and Ukraine dropped to $2.58 billion from $3.38 billion the year before. India’s exports to Ukraine fell by 22.8% to $85.49 million, and Ukraine’s exports to India decreased by 17.3% to $1.69 billion, reported the Deccan Herald.
Cultural Exchange
India and Ukraine also have strong cultural ties. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), people in Ukraine have a “great interest” in Indian culture, including its dances, yoga, philosophy, Ayurveda, and spirituality.
There are over 30 Ukrainian cultural associations and groups that promote Indian arts, especially dances. Ukraine also hosts a small Indian community, mainly business professionals and students, involved in manufacturing, packaging, trading, and services.
Modi’s Diplomatic Navigation Between Russia and Ukraine
New Delhi has remained neutral regarding Russia’s war with Ukraine. India has historical ties with Moscow, which remains its top arms supplier.
India is in a unique position as both Russia and Ukraine are key strategic partners. While New Delhi has refrained from criticizing Putin over the war, it has repeatedly stressed the need for “diplomacy and dialogue” to end the conflict.
New Delhi has also offered to contribute to peace efforts between Russia and Ukraine.
Recent Diplomatic Efforts
Earlier this month, Modi traveled to Russia on a two-day visit, his first since the Ukraine war. During his meeting with Putin, Modi emphasized the need to respect the United Nations Charter, including territorial integrity and sovereignty, stating that “dialogue and diplomacy is the way forward.”
Modi’s close engagement with Putin had drawn a sharp reaction from Zelenskyy, who called it “a huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts.”
However, New Delhi is making efforts to strengthen its bilateral relations with Kyiv. In March, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba met with Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar in New Delhi. They decided to restore trade and cooperation to pre-invasion levels.
Ukraine also sought India’s participation in the Switzerland conference to advance Kyiv’s peace efforts. Although India’s representative at the peace summit did not sign a joint communique, India called for “sincere and practical engagement” between Russia and Ukraine for a peaceful resolution.
Future Relations and Modi’s Role
Last month, Zelenskyy called Modi to congratulate him on his victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and invited him to visit Ukraine at a “convenient time.” Modi and Zelenskyy also met on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Italy in June. Modi described the meeting as “very productive,” and expressed eagerness to “further cement” bilateral relations with Ukraine.
Modi reiterated that India believes in a human-centric approach and that peace can be achieved through dialogue and diplomacy. Earlier in July, Jaishankar and Kuleba held phone talks about further developing bilateral ties. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Ukrainian counterpart Andriy Yermak also held discussions.
India’s non-aligned foreign policy allows it to be friends with both Russia and Ukraine. Unlike China, New Delhi’s neutrality places it in a central position to broker peace between the two warring sides.
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