Ahead of his maiden visit to Ukraine, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that India was an advocate of permanent peace in the region, as he reaffirmed his view that “this is not an era of war” and any conflict should be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue.
Addressing an enthusiastic Indian diaspora in the Polish capital on Wednesday evening, Modi also said that for decades, India had a policy to maintain distance from all the countries. However, the policy of today’s India is to remain close to all the countries, he added, amid chants of Modi-Modi.
“India is an advocate of permanent peace in this region. Our stand is very clear – this isn’t an era of war. This is the time to come together against those challenges which threaten humanity. Therefore, India believes in diplomacy and dialogues…,” Modi told the gathering.
His remarks come ahead of his trip to Kyiv – the first visit by an Indian prime minister to Ukraine since the country became independent in 1991.
Modi, who is visiting Ukraine at the invitation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has said that he will share with the Ukrainian leader perspectives on peaceful resolution of the ongoing conflict.
His visit to Kyiv comes nearly six weeks after his high-profile trip to Moscow and meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin which triggered criticism from the US and some of its Western allies.