New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, currently on a two-day official visit to Russia, made a direct appeal to end the Ukraine war which has been going on for over two years. During an informal meeting with President Vladimir Putin at the latter’s official residence in Moscow, PM Modi told him that no solution can be found on the battleground.
“India has always called for respecting the UN Charter, including territorial integrity and sovereignty. There is no solution on the battlefield. Dialogue and diplomacy is the way forward,” PM Modi is believed to have told Putin during the dinner.
Additionally, PM Modi raised concerns about Indian nationals deceived into joining the Russian army by unscrupulous travel agents. Sources reported that Russia has committed to repatriating all affected individuals.
Nearly two dozen Indians are believed to have been forced into fighting the war against Ukraine after being tricked by agents into going to the country on the pretext of getting high-paying jobs.
A viral video earlier this year showed a group of men from Punjab and Haryana – wearing army uniforms – claiming they were tricked into fighting the war in Ukraine and doubling down on their request for help.
The PM Modi’s first visit to Russia since the country launched its campaign in Ukraine and since he returned to power last month for a record third term. India has shied away from explicit condemnation of Russia ever since and has abstained on United Nations resolutions censuring Moscow.
Congratulating PM Modi on his third term, Vladimir Putin remarked that his re-election underscores Modi’s effectiveness in advancing India’s interests: “The results speak for themselves; India now ranks third globally in terms of economy.”
The meeting marks the 16th encounter between PM Modi and President Putin in the past decade, with their last face-to-face interaction occurring at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, in 2022.
In 2019, PM Modi was honored with Russia’s highest state award, the ‘Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First.’
This visit to Russia by PM Modi is his first since the conflict between Moscow and Kyiv began in 2022.
Following the conclusion of his visit to Russia, PM Modi will embark on a historic trip to Austria, marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the nation in 40 years.
