Hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a military operation in Ukraine, Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi urged him to de-escalate, reaffirming his support for all sides to return to “the path of diplomatic negotiations and dialogue.”
According to a press release by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), during a phone call on Thursday with Putin, Modi asserted that the differences between Russia and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) should be resolved through “honest and sincere dialogue.”
Meanwhile, Putin informed Modi about Ukraine’s “aggressive actions” in the Donbas, a region in which Russia earlier recognised the independence of the breakaway territories of Donetsk and Luhansk. In addition, he highlighted Ukraine’s “long-standing destructive policy of seeking to dismantle the Minsk agreements.” Putin then asserted that Russia had been forced to “launch a special military operation” to the “unacceptable” actions of the US and its NATO allies.
In addition, Modi also raised concern about the safety of Indian citizens in Ukraine, particularly students, and reiterated that India continues to prioritise their safe return to India. New Delhi’s evacuation efforts were hampered after Ukraine closed its airspace, forcing a Kyiv-bound Air India repatriation flight to return to New Delhi. In this regard, Putin reassured Modi of his support for conducting evacuations to ensure the safety of Indian citizens in Ukraine.
Consequently, India has deployed MEA teams to Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Romania to step up evacuation efforts; Indian citizens in Ukraine near the borders of these countries will now be evacuated by land.
Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla also revealed that the Indian Air Force is ready in case it needs to be deployed for evacuation. He added that out of the 20,000 Indians in Ukraine, around 4,000 have already left the country. Over the past week, India has expedited its evacuation plans to ensure the safe return of its citizens; all travel restrictions, such as limitations on the number of flights and seats per sector, were lifted for flights from Ukraine on February 17. Thereafter, 240 Indians were brought back home from Kyiv on February 22.
Meanwhile, the Indian embassy in Ukraine released an advisory urging Indian nationals to look for bomb shelters—most of which are situated in underground metros—if they hear bomb warnings or air sirens. Furthermore, it reassured that the Mission is looking for “possible solutions” to the issue.
Ambassador's Video Message to the Indian Nationals in Ukraine.@MEAIndia @PMOIndia @PIBHindi @DDNewsHindi @DDNewslive @DDNational @IndianDiplomacy @IndiainUkraine pic.twitter.com/yjDzE3xzxq
— India in Ukraine (@IndiainUkraine) February 24, 2022
Modi’s telephonic conversation with President Putin came shortly after Ukraine’s envoy to New Delhi, Igor Polikha, requested the Indian leader to intervene and urge Putin to end Russia’s violent activities in Ukraine. He said that Ukraine is “deeply dissatisfied with the Indian position,” which has been largely neutral through months of conflict. “This is not the time for protocol-bound statements,” he added. He also said that while he isn’t sure which international leaders Putin might listen to, he remains “hopeful” that Modi’s “stature” could make Putin reconsider his actions.
#WATCH | Delhi: Dr Igor Polikha, Ambassador of Ukraine to India seeks Government of India's intervention amid #RussiaUkraineConflict; urges PM Narendra Modi to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin. pic.twitter.com/L1b48I42DN
— ANI (@ANI) February 24, 2022
Apart from the Ukrainian envoy, US President Joe Biden has also seemingly offered a veiled criticism of India’s stand on the issue during a White House press briefing, saying, “Any nation that countenances Russia’s naked aggression against Ukraine will be stained by association.” On being questioned about India’s position on the crisis, Biden said that while New Delhi is not entirely in sync with the US on the tensions in Ukraine, the two sides are continuing consultations. Meanwhile, in a telephonic conversation with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for a “strong collective response to condemn Russia’s invasion.”
India has refrained from openly criticising Russia for its aggressive military posturing along its border with Eastern Europe throughout the conflict. In fact, it is the only member of the Quad—which comprises Australia, the United States (US), and Japan—that hasn’t introduced sanctions against Russia as of yet.