New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Kyiv visit is being dubbed as historic as it comes amid a major confrontation between Russia and Ukraine. Modi's warm hug and handshake with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy comes months after his display of similar bonhomie with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
As he drew curtains on his 2-nation tour, Modi called his Ukraine visit "historic", reiterating that India firmly believed that peace must prevail.
India's strategic balancing act in the complex geopolitical landscape could not have been better witnessed than in the last few months when the country's topmost leader managed to reach out to leaders sitting on the opposite ends of the spectrum. So can India manage to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine? ETV Bharat spoke to an expert to unwind this conundrum.
'India Won't Mediate'
Former ambassador Jitendra Tripathi told ETV Bharat that despite several debates and offers from both sides to India to mediate in the conflict, PM Modi did not visit Ukraine to mediate.
"The reason why India won't mediate is because India's policy is any conflict should be solved between the two countries through talks. India did reject the mediation proposal from then-US President Donald Trump to resolve the Kashmir issue. Therefore, PM Modi's visit will set a tone which is congenial to talks so that both sides agree to sit together and discuss. He can certainly break the ice between both the countries in resolving the conflict," the ex-diplomat said.
He said that Modi's visit to Ukraine has two dimensions--bilateral and multilateral. "Bilaterally, no Indian PM has visited Ukraine in the last 30 years, though Ukraine has been a major supplier of vegetable oil, and coal to India and India has been exporting pharmaceuticals, minerals, and steel from Ukraine. Even during the time of war, in the first half of this year, the bilateral trade between India and Ukraine was 1.07 billion dollars during the peak of the war. Secondly, defence cooperation is an essential part of India-Ukraine relations. Ukraine has a gas turbine, which it will supply to the Indian Navy and fighters. Likely, an agreement on the supply and production of gas turbines to Indian warships between India and Ukraine will be signed during PM Modi's visit," Tripathi said.
India-Ukraine relations
Ukraine is the largest country in Europe with an area of about 6 lakh sq km and a population of over 37 million. India recognised Ukraineʼs independence in December 1991, established diplomatic relations in January 1992, and opened an Embassy in Kyiv in May 1992.
India-Ukraine relations have steadily grown and expanded over the past more than three decades. There is a mutual and abiding interest in further deepening and expansion of bilateral relations, especially in the context of trade and commerce, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, defence, education, science and technology and culture, apart from enhancing the interaction between the two sides at various levels.
There have been three Presidential level visits from Ukraine to India (in 1992, 2002 and 2012). From India, President Dr SD Sharma and President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam visited Ukraine in 1993 and 2005, respectively. In addition to these visits, both sides have sustained interactions at various levels, including at the official and ministerial levels. In terms of recent high-level contacts, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy have had three bilateral meetings on the margins of multilateral events.
The most recent meeting between both leaders took place on June 14, 2024, on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Apulia. Earlier, they had met in Hiroshima in May 2023 on the sidelines of the G7 summit and in November 2019 on the sidelines of COP26. Both leaders have also had seven telephone conversations so far.
It is pertinent to note that India has consistently maintained its balanced approach as far as the Russia-Ukraine conflict is concerned. PM Modi has time and again reiterated India’s firm belief that no problem can be solved on the battlefield."In any crisis, the loss of lives of innocent people has become the biggest challenge for the whole of humanity. We support dialogue and diplomacy for the early restoration of peace and stability. For this, India, along with its friendly countries, is ready to provide all possible support," PM Modi said during his visit to Poland.
Treaties Signed Between India And Ukraine
A Treaty on Friendship and Cooperation, an agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation, and an agreement on cooperation in the field of culture, arts, education, tourism and sports was signed between India and Ukraine on March 27, 1992,
An agreement on cooperation in the fields of S&T was signed between India and Ukraine initially in 1992 and renewed in 2012. The first meeting of the IGC in December 1994 constituted a JWG to take forward the S&T cooperation, which has now met eight times. On April 19, 1994, an agreement on technical and economic cooperation was signed between Ukraine and India. The agreement between Ukraine and India on Air Services was signed on July 7, 1995.
An agreement on the convention between Ukraine and India for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion concerning taxes and income and capital was signed on April 7, 1999. Another Agreement between Ukraine and India on Merchant Shipping on October 3, 2002. In the same year, a treaty was signed on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters. Another treaty between Ukraine and India was on extradition. In the year 2003, an agreement was signed between Ukraine and India on the Protection of Classified Information.
A treaty between India and Ukraine on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters was signed in August 2003. The Framework Agreement between the Government of Ukraine and India on cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space was signed in 2005. On March 28, 2008, an MoU in the Field Of Standardisation, Meteorology, Conformity Assessment And Quality Between India And Ukraine was inked.
On Nov 25, 2011, an MoU between India and Ukraine on cooperation was signed. In 2012, both sides signed an agreement for the exchange of technical information and cooperation in nuclear safety. On February 20, 2014, an agreement between Ukraine and India was signed on cooperation in the fields of science and technology.
A Defence Cooperation Agreement was signed between the two countries on 12 December 2012. The first meeting of the India-Ukraine Joint Working Group on Defence was held in June 2018 in Kyiv. Indian and Ukrainian companies are exploring opportunities for greater collaboration and partnership in this area. Ukrainian companies participate in various defence exhibitions and expos in India.
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