India Credible Broker for Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks

India is seen as a credible country that can help in the peace talks between Russia and Ukraine because it is one of few major powers with working relationships with both countries. It cited a foreign affairs expert as saying that India’s strategic autonomy puts it in a position to push for peace because New Delhi is “friends with both” sides. India has also been evenhanded. In July, it summoned Moscow’s charge d’affaires to condemn a Russian strike on a merchant vessel that killed 10 people, including four Indian crew members. Days later, it summoned Ukraine’s ambassador over an Indian seafarer killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on the MV Omorfi. It highlights that India is also an importer of goods from both Russia and Ukraine. In the 202526, India imported 1.46 million tonnes of sunflower oil from Russia and 443,000 tonnes from Ukraine, according to the Indian Solvent Extractors’ Association (SEA), alongside large volumes of Russian crude. A large amount of Russian money sits in the Indian financial system, which Moscow wants to keep access to. Before Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, about a third of the world’s grain exports passed through the Black Sea, with Ukraine supplying a tenth of global wheat exports and 15 percent of maize. Disruption hits food-importing countries hardest, particularly in Africa and parts of Asia. Indian officials point out that India as a leading voice of the Global South is keen that food exports to these developing nations resume to prevent adequate supplies and controlling rising inflation. Both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have discussed the issue of opening the food corridor over a phone call. India is ready to mediate in establishing food corridors, and we are counting on these efforts to continue,” Zelenskyy posted on X after call. The leaders discussed Russia’s blocking of grain exports in the Black Sea. PM Modi said India was ready to contribute “in every possible way” towards a peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, during a visit to Kyiv in September, spoke of a potential pause on strikes against Black Sea shipping and energy infrastructure. On October 4, he said India was talking to both Russia and Ukraine about shipping safety, grain and energy exports and “non-attack possibilities”. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha earlier called India’s proposal “the broadest”, because it covers both the Black Sea and energy infrastructure. The US plan offers only a halt to strikes on energy facilities. Notably, reiterating its position that the Russia-Ukraine conflict must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday highlighted New Delhi’s continued engagement with both Moscow and Kyiv to explore ways to restore peace in the region. India said that India had shared several proposals with the two sides, including ensuring the safety of commercial shipping in the Black Sea, addressing the immediate concerns of energy and grain exports, and discussing possibilities of a non-attack arrangement. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also emphasised the need to end prolonged wars and called for an end to the ongoing conflict. So, on the issue of the Ukraine conflict, as you know, India has been emphasising that the way forward is to take the path of dialogue and diplomacy. And in recent months, our Prime Minister has expressed and articulated that endless wars must now give way to an end to war. In keeping with this idea of bringing peace to the region, India has been engaging with both Russia and Ukraine, and we have conveyed certain ideas to them. These ideas include the safety of commercial shipping in the Black Sea region. It also includes addressing the immediate concerns of both countries in regard to energy and grain exports, as well as nonattack possibilities. Modi spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday, with the two leaders discussing the ongoing conflict, its humanitarian impact and diplomatic efforts to bring about peace. Prime Minister spoke to the President of Ukraine. Both leaders shared perspectives on the ongoing conflict, its humanitarian aspects, as well as various efforts to restore peace that are underway. Prime Minister reiterated India’s firm commitment to contribute towards peace in every possible way. Following this, in the evening yesterday, the External Affairs Minister had a conversation with Foreign Minister Lavrov of Russia, where both leaders discussed the ongoing diplomatic initiatives focused on the conflict. Prime Minister Modi had a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Zelensky on Monday, during which he once again conveyed India’s readiness to contribute to all efforts aimed at peaceful resolution of the conflict in the region