Ukraine, Russia should sit together to end war: PM Modi in Kyiv
says, India ready to play active role to bring peace
Kyiv, Aug 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday conveyed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that both Ukraine and Russia should sit together without wasting time to end the ongoing war and that India was ready to play an "active role" to restore peace in the region.
In his talks with Zelenskyy in Kyiv that came a day ahead of Ukraine's Independence Day, the prime minister said India was on the side of peace since the beginning of the conflict and he would even like to contribute personally for a peaceful resolution of the crisis.
Modi's nearly nine-hour visit to Ukraine, the first by an Indian prime minister since its independence in 1991, came six weeks after he held summit talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin that triggered anguish in some Western countries.
The prime minister reiterated the need for "sincere and practical" engagement between all stakeholders to develop innovative solutions that will have "broad acceptability" and contribute towards early restoration of peace in Ukraine, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said.
"I have come with a message of peace..I want to assure you and the entire global community that India is committed to respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity (of states) and it is of utmost importance to us," Modi told Zelenskyy at the talks.
The prime minister also asserted India's strong commitment towards respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.
"I want to assure you and the entire global community that India is committed towards respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity (of states) and it is of utmost importance to us," he said.
Modi arrived in Kyiv following a nearly 10-hour train journey from Poland in the second leg of his two-nation trip.
Modi's wide-ranging talks with Zelenskyy primarily focused on ways to end the war and boost bilateral cooperation in areas of trade, defence, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and education.
"We (India) are not neutral. From the very beginning, we have taken sides. And we have chosen the side of peace. We have come from the land of Buddha where there is no place for war; we have come from the land of Mahatma Gandhi who had given a message of peace to the entire world," Modi said.
The prime minister also apprised Zelenskyy of his message to Putin in Samarkand in September 2022 as well as in Moscow last month.
"Some time back, when I met President Putin in Samarkand, I had told him that this was not the era of war. Last month when I went to Russia, I said in clear words that the solution to any problem is never found on the battlefield," Modi said.
"The solution comes through talks, dialogue and diplomacy and we should move ahead in that direction without wasting time.
Both sides should sit together and find ways to come out of this crisis," Modi said.
Following the talks, Zelenskyy said India supports Ukraine's national sovereignty and territorial integrity and it is "critical because everyone in the world must equally respect the UN Charter."
"Following the visit, we also agreed on a joint statement focusing on the development of a strategic partnership, bilateral trade, and continued military-technical cooperation," he said.
Zelenskyy said "history was made" today as the Indian prime minister made the first visit to Ukraine since "our independence, on the eve of our Independence Day."
In a post on 'X', Modi described his talks with Zelenskyy as "productive" and said India "firmly" believes that peace must always prevail.
At a media briefing, Jaishankar said Modi conveyed to Zelenskyy India's willingness to contribute in "all possible ways" to facilitate an early return of peace to Ukraine, he said.
"We are very, very keen that this conflict should come to an end," the external affairs minister said.
It was a "very detailed, open and in many ways constructive discussion", he said.
The talks revolved around to some extent on the military situation, on concerns like food and energy security, and on "conceivable pathways to peace", Jaishankar said.
"It is India's view that the two sides (Ukraine and Russia) need to engage with each other to find a solution," he said, adding the talks revolved around the military situation, on concerns like food and energy security, and on "conceivable pathways to peace".
The external affairs minister also defended India's procurement of crude oil from Russia.
"India is a big oil consumer, it is a big oil importer..It is not like there is a political strategy to buy oil, there is an oil strategy to buy oil, there is a market strategy to buy oil," Jaishankar said.
A joint statement released after the talks said Modi and Zelenskyy reiterated their readiness for further cooperation in upholding principles of international law, including the UN Charter, such as respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty of states.
It said the Indian side reiterated its principled position and focus on peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy, as a part of which, India has attended the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, held in Switzerland in June.
The Ukrainian side welcomed such participation by India and highlighted the importance of high-level Indian participation in the next peace summit, it said.
In the talks the Ukrainian side conveyed that the joint communique on a peace framework, adopted at the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, could serve as a basis for further efforts to promote just peace based on dialogue, diplomacy, and international law, the statement said.
The two leaders appreciated various efforts to ensure global food security, including the Ukrainian humanitarian grain initiative.
The importance of an uninterrupted and unhindered supply of agricultural products to global markets, especially in Asia and Africa, was emphasised in the talks.
In his remarks at the meeting, the prime minister conveyed to Zelenskyy that he has come to Kyiv also with a message of peace from the Global South. The Ukrainian side wanted continued involvement of India with the Global Peace summit, he said.
"It is India's view that the two sides (Ukraine and Russia) need to engage with each other to find a solution," he said.
The external affairs minister said the two leaders reiterated their readiness to continue cooperation to uphold principles of international law such as respect for territorial integrity and protect the sovereignty of states.
Jaishankar said the prime minister sought the president's assessment of both the ground situation as well as the diplomatic scenario and Zelenskyy spoke on both issues.
The external affairs minister described Modi's visit to Kyiv as a "landmark"
Jaishankar said a significant part of discussions between PM Modi and President Zelenskyy was devoted to the bilateral relations.
There were discussions on trade, economic issues, defence, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, education, he said.
Modi and Zelenskyy also tasked the India-Ukraine inter-governmental commission to specifically focus on rebuilding trade and economic relations.
My visit to Ukraine was historic. I came to this great nation with the aim of deepening India-Ukraine friendship. I had productive talks with President @ZelenskyyUa. India firmly believes that peace must always prevail. I thank the Government and people of Ukraine for their…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 23, 2024
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
'Brand Bharat' is statement of authenticity; of being Vishwa Bandhu, says EAM
New Delhi (PTI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday extolled the idea of 'Brand Bharat' and said it is "statement of authenticity" in representation, articulation or beliefs, and equally a message that "we are now more comfortable in our own skin".
In a virtual address at India Ideas Conclave, he also underlined that it is also the "brand of Vishwa Bandhu" as on the big stage, a "multi-vector approach" engages the Quad and BRICS, Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Iran and the Global North and Global South.
Nations, like people, enterprises or services, have a reputation. When deeply entrenched into consciousness and easily recognisable, that becomes a brand. Obviously, it is related to the merits of the product and its track record, he said.
"When it comes to a country, the national brand is obviously a fusion and aggregation of different facets of its life. On the global stage, it is much more an integrated positioning of a multiple endeavors. We, in the world of diplomacy, have that responsibility. My thoughts today are about how we discharge that for an India that is more Bharat," Jaishankar said.
In his address, the external affairs minister encapsulated the journey of India from freedom struggle to gaining independence and the course the country took in the succeeding decades.
"Our initial decades after independence saw us struggling with the brand challenge. Given the ground situation, this was not unsurprising. A society recovering from two centuries of colonialism obviously had to painstakingly build itself up, creating new capabilities, institutions and practices," he said.
But at the end of the day, India entered the next century "intact as a polity, energetic as an economy and optimistic as a society".
"None of that could have been taken for granted and some, in fact, failed to make it," he underlined.
The Union minister, who virtually addressed the conclave hosted by India Foundation, lamented that earlier the country, at the global level, was "seen as sizeable player about whom there was limited expectation", and said, however, the last decade has seen a "big shift" in that regard.
"Economically, we are now perceived as much easier to do business. The transformation underway in infrastructure is also increasingly appreciated.
Whether it is the airports, metros, highways or railways, the achievements of the last decade stand out even by global standards. Perhaps, nothing has been more impactful than our embrace of digital technologies," he added.
Jaishankar then went on to expound what is 'Brand Bharat'.
"Bharat is a statement of authenticity, be it in representation, articulation or beliefs. Even our economic energies required a connotation of Atmanirbharta in that background," he asserted.
"It is equally a message that we are now more comfortable in our own skin, drawing on our own past, fashioning our own lexicon and advancing our own ideas," the Union minister added.
He said while recognising these developments, let us also realise that "we are not just one more country".
"Our history, tradition, culture and heritage makes us stand out. We are one of the rare ancient civilisations that have made a successful transition to a nation state. In the past, when our overall standing was less, perhaps this did not count for that much. But when juxtaposed with our achievements in so many fields, it now assumes very different connotation," Jaishankar added.
It is in this context that "we should reflect on Brand Bharat. The very term captures the civilisational aspect, while underlining how much more rooted we have become", he said.
"In a world asserting its independence from a globalised elite, it is an effort to engage the world more on our terms. The formulation of standing on the two legs of technology and tradition is one effective way of expressing Brand Bharat," Jaishankar said.
Coming from the domain of diplomacy, India naturally seek to advance that brand in more specific terms. That means defining how Bharat approaches the world, he said.
"There are a range of answers. The Global South sees a powerful advocate and the driver of Vaccine Maitri. Neighbours recognise a generous and non-reciprocal partner who stood by them during Covid, financial meltdowns or natural disasters. Democracies appreciate a confident partner whose choice has helped universalise their shared attributes," the minister asserted.
"The immediate region and beyond value an emerging 'first responder' and contributor to global goods. And on the big stage, a multi-vector approach engages the Quad and BRICS, Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Iran and the Global North and South. This is the brand of Vishwa Bandhu," he said.
