India is for peace, PM Modi tells ‘friend’ Putin again
The Russia-Ukraine conflict should be resolved in a peaceful manner, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday while reiterating New Delhi’s readiness to provide all possible cooperation to end the war.
Modi made the remarks at a bilateral meeting with Putin on the margins of the Brics Summit in the Russian city of Kazan, their second interaction since July.
Besides the conflict with Ukraine, issues such as bilateral cooperation in defence, trade and investment, and the expansion of the Brics grouping figured in the meeting.
Putin and Modi also engaged in banter that pointed to their close relationship. Putin said: “We have such a relationship that I felt you do not need any translation… I am very grateful to you for accepting the invitation to come to Kazan.” Modi responded by saying that his two visits to Russia in three months “reflect our close coordination and deep friendship”.
In his opening remarks at the meeting, Modi pointed to the need for a peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine war. “We have been in constant touch on the issue of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. As I have said earlier, we believe that problems should be resolved only through peaceful means,” he said, speaking in Hindi.
“We fully support the restoration of peace and stability as soon as possible. All our efforts give priority to humanity. In the coming days too, India is ready to provide all possible cooperation [for such efforts].”
Modi’s remarks were a reiteration of India’s stated position that Russia and Ukraine should end hostilities and return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy to find a solution to the conflict. During the annual India-Russia Summit in Moscow in July, Modi told Putin that peace talks can’t succeed under the shadow of the gun and solution can’t be found on the battlefield.
At a subsequent visit to Kyiv in August, Modi told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that a solution to the conflict can’t be found without engaging Russia.