The BBC, citing Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Centre think-tank in Washington, reported that the trip will further reassert India’s strategic autonomy.
“India isn’t in the business of placating Western powers, or anyone for that matter. It’s a trip meant to advance Indian interests, by reasserting friendship with Kyiv and conveying its concerns about the continuing war,” Kugelman said.
“It’s important to have diplomatic evidence that the picture is more complicated, and these players also respect Ukraine and engage with Ukraine under these circumstances,” New York Times quoted Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba as saying in an interview.
The NYT, otherwise famous for anti-Modi tirade, claimed Indian officials have said they are not seeking a mediating role but will convey messages between Ukraine and Russia if requested.
“India is seen as interested in a resolution to the war to avoid further isolation of Russia in the West, which could push Moscow into a closer embrace with China, India’s rival in Asia,” it reported.
Modi's visit, said Ukraine's foreign minister, is a “big diplomatic breakthrough” for Ukraine in its effort to press neutral nations to show balance in their relations with the warring countries.
He added that Ukraine is not seeking a mediating role by India in potential talks, the report added.
“Establishing relations with India will be challenging and a long process,” AP quoted Yurii Bohdanov on his Telegram channel as saying.
If India were to support Ukraine’s approach to a peace settlement, it could enhance Kyiv's chances of gaining more backing from other countries in the “Global South", where “India remains China’s main competitor for influence,” he said.
“This will further increase pressure on Russia,” Bohdanov added.
In official talks, they discussed the 10-point peace formula Zelenskiy has presented to the international community, India’s foreign ministry said.
The blueprint envisages the withdrawal of Russian troops from occupied areas, reparations and war crime tribunals for Russian generals and political figures. Ukrainian officials are preparing to organise a second peace summit this year, and are keen to involve global south countries. One venue under discussion is Saudi Arabia, it is understood, - reported 'The Guardian', London.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has offered his role “as a friend” to help bring peace to Ukraine -- The Washington Post
Foreign Minister Dr S Jaishankar said the pair held "very open and in many ways constructive talks" and that Modi had invited Zelensky to India.
He said New Delhi is willing to do "whatever we can because we think that the continuation of this conflict is terrible for Ukraine and the world." India has not joined UN sanctions over the invasion and is a major buyer of Russian oil.
Jaishankar said it was not in line with the country's "political-diplomatic history" to impose sanctions on countries. - 'The Australian'
On oil matter, international media reported -- Dr Jaishankar as responding at the press conference that:
"In terms of what you asked about the oil issue, look, India is a big oil consumer. It's a big oil importer because we don't have oil. Now, it's not like there's a political strategy to buy oil.
There is an oil strategy to buy oil. There's a market strategy to buy oil.
So the figures of where we get our oil imports go up and down. It depends on the state of the market. But it would definitely… I think the fact that the market is tight, that today big suppliers like Iran and Venezuela, who used to supply India, are constrained from operating freely in the markets, I think is a factor which needs to be taken into account."
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