Prime Minister Modi discussed the outcome of his visits to Kyiv and Moscow with President Biden when they met over the weekend in Wilmington, Delaware on the sidelines of the Quad summit. He would have highlighted differences in perception of both sides on a possible solution to the conflict. It is not just the US which is interested in India being involved in stopping the war and negotiating peace but even the participants. After his address to the Russian Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok in early Sept, Russian President Vladimir Putin was asked which countries could potentially offer to negotiate between Moscow and Kyiv. He responded without hesitation, “China, Brazil, India.”
It is believed that Putin has given his pre-conditions for negotiations to PM Modi. The Ukrainian perspective was shared with him when the Indian NSA met him. PM Modi would be holding a summit with Putin on the sidelines of the BRICS+ conclave next month in Russia. He could discuss options offered by the US. The Italian PM, Giorgia Meloni, also recently mentioned, “China and India have a role to play in resolving the conflict.” The Ukrainian Ambassador to India, Oleksandr Polishchuk, mentioned in an interview in Delhi, that in case India seeks a permanent seat in the UNSC it should negotiate between the two sides. Ukrainian president Zelenskky is hoping India will host the next peace summit around November this year.
India is hesitating as without the presence of Russia, a peace summit has little value. Russia has refused to participate in any ‘peace summit’ aware that nothing would be achieved. India on its part has been mentioning that both sides have to negotiate. As External Affairs minister Jaishankar mentioned, “If they want advice, we are always willing to give it.” PM Modi is the only global leader who has visited and been heard in both Moscow and Kyiv. He has refused to bend to Western demands of stopping oil procurements from Russia while providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine. India has also refused to be cowed down by Western pressures.
A recent example has been India turning down the US request to ban and block the Russian state media network RT, formerly known as Russia Today. The Indian government mentioned that the matter ‘does not pertain’ to it while insisting that New Delhi does not adhere to unilateral sanctions, not approved by the UN. India, on its part, has cautioned Russian media networks, RT and Sputnik, for falsely citing Bangladesh as an example of a ‘US regime change operation,’ a report which garnered immense discussion within India. It had also pulled them up for falsely mentioning Indian intelligence concerns on US diplomatic staff meeting opposition leaders. Evidently, Russian media has been working to distance India from the US. In fact, India is being requested to negotiate in other global trouble spots too. The Israeli Ambassador to New Delhi, Reuven Azar, mentioned in a recent interview that it is up to India to decide the extent to which it wants to be involved in ‘resolving’ the Gaza war. He stated, “There is an increasing role of India in West Asia in general, because India can bring a lot to the stability and prosperity in our region.”
India has always been a proponent of a ‘two-state solution’ between Israel and Palestine. The Palestinian PM, Muhammad Mustafa, congratulating PM Modi on his re-election wrote, “as a global leader and a nation that values human rights and peace, India holds a significant role in bringing an end to the genocide in Gaza. It is imperative for India to utilize all diplomatic channels to call for an immediate ceasefire.” The Palestinian ambassador to India reiterated this in a media interaction. PM Modi in his telephonic conversations with the Israeli PM, Benjamin Netanyahu, in August urged for de-escalation as also for implementing a ceasefire.
The latest request for Indian participation in resolving ongoing conflicts flowed from Elisabeth Braw, a Senior Associate Fellow, European Leadership Network and a columnist with Politico Europe and Foreign Policy. Writing on the Red Sea crisis where Yemen based Houthis are targeting global shipping, she mentions that the war impacts India as it has over 113,000 individuals in global shipping companies. She writes, “PM Modi is a man keen on conducting foreign policy independent of global alliances.” She adds that India’s growing economic power “lends weight to Modi’s foreign policy, and makes him perfectly positioned to read the Houthis the riot act.” She ends by mentioning, “If you can help stop the attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, the whole world will be grateful.” Why is India a nation that the world looks up to for resolving global crises? The reasons are that India has always stood for peace and dialogue.
Its foreign policy has been sans influence from major powers, despite its alliances, and has displayed over the years that it will not be cowed down. It has always been the first to support nations facing crisis and humanitarian suffering, which is evident when nations face natural calamities as also during Covid, when Indian manufactured vaccines were distributed globally. India’s voice is globally respected. When India speaks, it is not for itself but its voice represents billions from the Global South, who are indirectly impacted by wars being fought in distant lands. Their concerns are equally important; however, they lack a platform, which India provides.
At the same time, most global conflicts are complicated, involving more than just the warring nations. There are nations that treat those involved in the conflict as proxies keeping their own national interests foremost in mind. Conflicts are also beneficial for global defence suppliers, who fund political parties, as also a testing ground for new equipment and operational concepts. Hence, dialogue will invariably also involve those supporting the conflict from the background. This makes the process slow and tedious. Ultimately, while great powers and leaders exploit the conflict for their own advantage, it is innocents who suffer. It is this suffering which India seeks to end. Resolution to conflicts between conflicting states is slow and tedious. However, the first step is imposing a ceasefire. It is this that India would seek, but for this it would need backing of multiple nations, which is not easy, given their own interests.
(The writer is a retired Major-General of the Indian Army.)