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This is the third time Modi has met Zelensky amid the Russia-Ukraine war. Earlier, the two leaders had met in Japan in May 2023 and in Italy in June 2024.
“It is heartbreaking that the leader of the world’s largest democracy (Modi) is hugging the world’s bloodiest criminal (Putin).”
When Modi visited Russia on 9 July, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said this. Exactly 44 days after this, Modi visited Ukraine. He hugged Zelensky and put his hand on his shoulder. Modi told Zelensky that he had looked Putin straight in the eye and said that this is not the time for war.
When Modi was saying this, India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh was signing two defense deals in America. In such a situation, many claims related to Modi’s Ukraine visit have become a topic of discussion on social media. Like, did Modi go to Ukraine due to US pressure… Will the Ukraine visit worsen India-Russia relations… Know the truth of such claims from experts in the story…
No Indian Prime Minister had visited Ukraine since its establishment in 1991.
First of all, know why Modi went on a visit to Ukraine?
Russia affairs expert Rajan Kumar told that there were 3 reasons behind PM Modi’s visit to Ukraine…
Act of Balancing- PM Modi was being criticized after he visited Russia in the midst of the war. Western countries expressed displeasure over his visit to Russia and accused India of taking a one-sided stand.
Western countries have a great influence in India in matters ranging from development to security agreements. This is the reason why PM Modi went to Ukraine in an attempt to create a balance between the two factions during this visit.
Bridge Role Play: Neither America wants to stop the Russia-Ukraine war nor is Russia interested in ending it. When Modi went to Russia, he talked about peace there. Modi said the same thing when he went to Ukraine.
India not only represents itself but also leads the countries of the Global South. In such a situation, Modi went to Ukraine and presented the side of the Global South countries. India tried to prove that it can act as a bridge between the world divided into two groups.
Bilateral Talks: There has been an increase in trade relations between India and Ukraine in the last 25 years. However, India has a trade deficit with Ukraine. That is, in May 2024, we imported goods worth Rs 1081 crore from Ukraine while our export value was only Rs 88.84 crore.
Apart from this, India’s trade with Ukraine went into negative in the last one year. Our export value decreased by 5.64 crores. The purpose of PM Modi’s visit was also to discuss trade relations between the two countries.
PM Modi received a ceremonial welcome at the Mariinsky Palace in Ukraine. After this, Modi and Zelensky held a bilateral meeting.
Claim 1: Modi went to Ukraine to please America and because of China
reality: Rajan Kumar says that after the Ukraine war, India’s trade with Russia has increased a lot. Because of this also India was being accused of being close to Russia. America and some western countries were pressuring India that being a democratic country, India’s relations with democratic countries should be better.
India’s trade is the highest with the US and it is increasing. It is also India’s compulsion to stay with the US because it can help more than Russia in any dispute with China.
Ukraine, which was never a priority in our foreign policy, has suddenly become important for us, and America is also the reason for this. However, it is not that PM Modi has visited Ukraine only under pressure from America. Even before PM Modi was going to Russia, there was pressure from America not to do so, but then their words were not heeded.
Actually, through this visit, India wanted to prove that its policy is impartial. India wanted to show that if it does not come under pressure from Western countries, then it will not come under pressure from Russia either. Through this visit, India has tried to address the concerns of Western countries. Along with this, India wants to prove its impartiality.
PM Modi was given a red carpet welcome at Zelensky’s residence
Claim 2: If India stops buying oil from Russia, Russia will be forced to stop the war
reality: Rajan Kumar said that even if India stops buying oil from Russia, it will not affect it much. If India is buying oil from Russia, then it is not doing Russia a favour by doing so, rather it is both a compulsion and a benefit for India.
In fact, India overtook China in July to become the largest country to buy oil from Russia. India has bought 44% of its total crude oil imports from Russia. According to a Reuters report, India’s consumption of Russian oil is 2.07 million barrels per day.
In such a situation, if India stops buying oil from Russia, the price of oil will increase in the market and many essential commodities will become expensive. This will put the economy in crisis. India also has some limitations.
India’s economy, foreign investments, diplomatic resources are not big enough to stop such a big war. Modi can appeal to stop the war, can provide a platform to bring two parties together, but we are not yet capable enough to stop the war in Ukraine.
Claim 3: PM Modi’s Ukraine visit will worsen India-Russia relations
Reality: Rajan Kumar said that Modi’s Ukraine visit will not have any effect on India-Russia relations. Russia is unlikely to make a statement. However, the Russian government will definitely be disappointed by this. Russia is stuck in such a situation that it will not react to this immediately, but in return Russia can be seen trying to improve relations with India’s enemies China and Pakistan.
At the same time, Kanwal Sibal, former Indian ambassador to the US, believes that this visit will not have any effect on India-Russia relations. He said that Western countries want to create a rift between Russia and India. Through this visit, India has given the message that it is completely impartial.
Sibal said that it would be ‘wrong’ to assume that Modi’s visit to Ukraine is meant to establish peace. In fact, India is in no mood to become a mediator. It is clear from Modi’s visit that ‘India is playing its own game’. India is now taking its own decisions keeping in mind its national interest, its position in the world and its role in the Global South.
On his Ukraine visit, PM Modi said that India has never been neutral regarding war. We have been in favour of peace from day one.
Claim 4: Ukraine will benefit from PM Modi’s visit Reality: Rajan Kumar said that this claim is true. Ukraine will benefit more from PM Modi’s visit than India. India is one of the most prominent and largest countries in the Global South. No representative of China has visited Ukraine since the beginning of the war.
In such a situation, if the leader of a big country of the Global South is visiting Ukraine, then this is a big achievement for him. In such a situation, Ukraine can also try to show India in its support. At the same time, it will also try to anger Russia through this move of India.
Claim 5: Modi’s Ukraine visit will strengthen India’s identity as a leader of global countries
reality: Rajan Kumar said that through this visit of Modi, India has tried to show that it is a global power. If India is close to America, it is equally close to Russia. India will not come under anyone’s pressure.
Now, like China or Western countries, India will also be seen as a party. Like America, China, European countries, India can also join the negotiating table to resolve any dispute.
What is Rail Force One, by which PM Modi will go to Ukraine: This train has rooms like luxurious hotels; From Biden to Meloni, everyone has traveled in it
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a visit to Poland. After this, he will leave for Ukraine on Thursday night. He will travel by train and not by plane. This will be a special train, named ‘Rail Force One’. It is known for its luxury facilities and world class service.
Many leaders including US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian PM Georgia Meloni have traveled in Rail Force One. Read full news here…
