India moves past simple advocacy to hold direct talks with Russia and Ukraine

India has moved past its years of simple advocacy to hold direct talks with both Russia and Ukraine in recent months to help end their war. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar shared this update on Sunday at the Munich Leaders Meeting in New Delhi, marking the first public confirmation of India's active diplomatic role in the conflict.

Key Focus Areas

Jaishankar explained that India's current diplomatic push centers on keeping shipping safe in the Black Sea, protecting grain and energy exports, and exploring non-attack possibilities between the warring nations. These discussions build on prior high-level meetings, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi's talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the SCO Summit in Kyrgyzstan and the Brics Summit in New Delhi, as well as a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in France. Just days after the Kyrgyzstan talks in September, Jaishankar also traveled directly to Ukraine to stress that the war cannot be won on the battlefield.

Ties With Russia and Europe

Alongside the peace efforts, Jaishankar highlighted India's deep historical ties with Russia dating back to the 1950s, noting that Moscow stood by India when its security and territorial integrity faced threats. He added that the modern bilateral partnership now includes robust trade, investment, energy resources, nuclear cooperation, space projects, and military components. At the same time, India is expanding its ties with the European Union across advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, space, defense, and artificial intelligence, while also working together at the United Nations through the Partners for Multilateralism initiative.

Context

India has long maintained a neutral stance on the conflict in Ukraine, consistently calling for dialogue and diplomacy rather than taking sides. This diplomatic balancing act allows New Delhi to maintain its historic defense and economic partnership with Moscow while simultaneously building deeper technological and economic ties with Western democracies in Europe.