Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Ukraine on August 23, 2024, amidst Ukraine’s fresh military offensive in Russia’s western Kursk region. In his opening remarks during the talks, PM Modi said that India is not neutral and has chosen the side of peace. India resolves to play an active role in restoring peace in Ukraine. This stance reflects a departure from India’s non-alignment policy and a shift towards strategic autonomy.
PM Modi paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at his statute in Kyiv, underscoring the relevance of Gandhiji’s message of peace in building a harmonious society. India, the land of Buddhas, emphasises a lasting peace solution in Ukraine where there is no place for war. This commentary examines India-Ukraine relations and travels through a slew of initiatives, postures and resolutions undertaken for a lasting, enduring peace in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
It was a poignant moment when PM Narendra Modi, accompanied by President V Zelensky visited the multimedia Martyrologist exposition on children at the National Museum of History of Ukraine in Kyiv. As a mark of respect, he placed a toy in the memory of children who have lost their lives in the conflict. It was a solemn moment when PM Modi put his hand on President Zelensky’s shoulder and prayed that families of children find strength in enduring the grief.
President Zelensky remarked that children deserve to live in safety. The Gandhian approach to conflict resolution based on the principles of truth and non-violence should be the basis for interactions between nations. PM Modi has time and again reiterated that peace is of utmost importance and war in Ukraine cannot be won on the battlefield.
It was a solemn moment when PM Modi put his hand on President Zelensky’s shoulder during the visit to the multimedia Martyrologist exposition on children and prayed for the families of the children.
India-Ukraine relations
India and Ukraine decided to elevate their relationship to a strategic partnership by signing key agreements on defence, trade and humanitarian cooperation. In this regard, India’s innovative BHISHM Cubes provide rapid emergency medical care in conflict zones. Each compact cube contains essential medicines and equipment for 200+ cases, including trauma, burns, and fractures. Cubes generate power and oxygen, and can perform 10-15 basic surgeries daily. A team of Indian medical experts is deployed to train Ukrainian staff on effective use. This humanitarian initiative underscores India’s commitment to supporting Ukraine amidst the ongoing crisis.
India and Ukraine agreed to hold the 2nd meeting of the Indian-Ukrainian Joint Working Group on Military-Technical Cooperation, established under the 2012 Defence Cooperation Agreement.
India buys Russian oil and armaments and is dependent on Russian energy resources. On India’s energy trade with Russia, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar explained to the Ukrainian side about the ‘tight energy market’. As India is a big consumer and importer of oil and that it does not produce oil, there is in place a market strategy and not a political strategy to buy oil from Russia. In terms of trade, India is Ukraine’s largest export destination in Asia and the fifth-largest overall export destination. India and Ukraine noted the significant reduction in the annual bilateral trade in goods since 2022 due to the challenges related to the ongoing war and explored ways to restore bilateral trade and economic relations to pre-conflict levels.
India’s principled position is to focus on peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy. India participated in the Summit on Peace in Ukraine sans Russia hosted by Switzerland on June 15-16, 2024. The joint communique called for nuclear safety and security, freedom of navigation, food safety, and the release and exchange of prisoners of war. India was however not associated with the joint communiqué on a Peace framework adopted at the summit and stated that options acceptable to both parties – Russia and Ukraine – can only lead to abiding peace.
India’s BHISHM Cubes provide rapid emergency medical care in conflict zones. Each compact cube contains essential medicines and equipment for 200+ cases, including trauma, burns, and fractures. Cubes generate power and oxygen, and can perform 10-15 basic surgeries daily.
The hosting party of Switzerland at the summit observed that a peace process without Russia was unthinkable. President Zelensky claimed that Russia was using Chinese diplomats to undermine the peace process. He welcomed the idea of holding the summit in a Global South Asian country if the country adopted a joint communique in the future.
Ukraine 10-point peace formula
Earlier, President Zelensky in his address to the UN General Assembly, in September 2022, focussed on five pre-conditions for peace formula – punishment for aggression, protection of life, restoration of security and territorial integrity, security guarantees, and determination to defend oneself. President Zelensky announced his proposals for peace during the G20 Bali Summit on November 15, 2022. These are:
- Nuclear safety, especially that of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant
- Food security for Asian and African countries
- Energy security and restoration of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure
- Release of all prisoners and the return of Ukrainian children deported to Russia
- Restoration of the Russia–Ukraine border to the pre-2014 annexation of Crimea, in line with Article 2 of the Charter of the United Nations
- Full withdrawal of Russian military forces from Ukraine and cessation of hostilities
- Prosecution of war crimes in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, including the creation of a special tribunal for Russian war crimes
- Assessment of ecological damage, including that caused by the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam; prosecution of those responsible; recovery and reconstruction
- Guarantees against future Russian aggression
- A multilateral peace conference with a legally binding international treaty.
On India’s energy trade with Russia, S Jaishankar explained to Ukraine about the ‘tight energy market’. As India is a big consumer and importer of oil, and it does not produce oil, there is in place a market strategy and not a political strategy to buy oil from Russia.
The Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, Sergei Lavrov responded that the above plan was not feasible and impossible to implement. President Vladimir Putin remarked that peace talks are possible if Ukraine withdraws its troops from regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, and that Ukraine would not take membership of NATO. This proposal was not welcomed by Ukraine and its Western allies including the United States, EU and NATO. Several countries such as China, Hungary, Austria, Brazil and South Africa have earlier come forward with proposals, initiatives, and suggestions to end the conflict.
Conclusion
The question is whether India can act as a mediator for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. India has had a history of mediating international conflicts as evidenced during the Korean crisis (1956) and Vietnam crisis (1979). Delhi Dialogue and Raisina Dialogue have been platforms for voicing issues of global concern – poverty, global warming, international security, and maritime cooperation. India’s tradition of summit diplomacy and its multi-alignment policy can afford the agency to befriend all countries in international politics.
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The writer is Assistant Professor, ICFAI School of `Liberal Arts, ICFAI University, Jaipur.
