As PM Narendra Modi embarked on a historic Ukraine visit, analysts said he could play a role in pushing Kyiv and Moscow towards talks, as India’s non-alignment approach to geopolitics has served it well for decades.
Warsaw: In a first-ever visit by an Indian prime minister to war-torn Ukraine after establishing diplomatic ties in 1992, Narendra Modi embarked on a 20-hour journey aboard the Train Force One, a luxury train from Poland. In Kyiv, PM Modi was set to meet the top leadership of the embattled country to deepen defense cooperation.
The Prime Minister's decision to travel to Kyiv by luxury train instead of a flight was made with regard to heightened security concerns owing to the ongoing conflict. His visit to Ukraine, at the invitation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, comes less than two months after he traveled to Moscow. India remains a rare nation that enjoys good relations with both Russia and the West. According to experts, Modi’s Ukraine visit might create an opportunity for dialog and diplomacy.
During his two-day state visit to Poland — also becoming the first Indian leader to visit the Central European country in 45 years — PM Modi touched on the issue of the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia, saying that it remains a "matter of deep concern" for everyone and India “firmly believes that no problem can be solved on the battlefield”.
Modi and Andrzej Sebastian Duda, President of Poland, held discussions on deepening the India-Poland partnership across a wide range of sectors — including food processing, Artificial Intelligence, energy, and infrastructure — during their meeting at the Belweder Palace in Warsaw.
They welcomed the upgradation of India-Poland ties to a Strategic Partnership and also discussed regional and global issues including conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia. The Prime Minister expressed sincere gratitude for Poland’s invaluable and timely assistance in evacuating Indian citizens from Ukraine during Operation Ganga," according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The Ministry revealed that both nations have also agreed on a social security agreement, ensuring greater benefits for citizens. "India greatly values the warm relations with Poland. We look forward to boosting commercial and cultural linkages between our nations in the times to come," PM Modi posted on X social media platform after the meeting.
President Duda's office said one of the key topics discussed between the two leaders was the ongoing war in Ukraine and its global consequences.
Earlier, while addressing the Indian community in Warsaw, he reiterated that “this is not an era of war” and any conflict should be resolved through diplomacy and dialog. “Empathy is one of the identities of Indians... India believes in Buddha’s tradition and, therefore, believes in peace not war... India is an advocate of peace in this region and it is clear that this is not time for war. We need to be together to fight challenges. India focuses on diplomacy and dialog,” Modi said.
Polish PM Donald Tusk Tusk termed it a "great privilege" to host PM Modi Modi on the eve of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. He mentioned that the whole world admires India for the consistently democratic nature of its governance, which is "not common in that part of the world".
