Bishkek/New Delhi, 31 August (H.S.): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday called for an early end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, reiterating India’s longstanding position that disputes must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.

Addressing a joint media statement after his bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, PM Modi said the world must move away from a prolonged conflict towards lasting peace.

“We have to move from a situation of ‘endless war’ to ‘end of war’,” PM Modi said, stressing that bringing the conflict to an early conclusion was in the larger interest of humanity.

The Prime Minister said India had consistently supported peaceful efforts to resolve the Ukraine crisis. He noted that the issue had figured prominently in his previous discussions with Putin and reiterated that India’s approach remained focused on peaceful means of resolving international disputes.

“India advocates for resolving all problems peacefully, which is necessary for all of humanity,”PM Modi said.

PM Modi also emphasised that every additional day of conflict carries a humanitarian cost and urged continued efforts towards ending hostilities. He invoked India’s civilisational traditions, describing the country as the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Gautama Buddha and highlighting their shared message of peace.

“Every day of war sets humanity back and we must work toward ending hostilities,” he said, adding that India’s message has consistently been centred on peace, dialogue and diplomacy.

The Prime Minister’s remarks build on his well-known position that “this is not an era of war”, which he conveyed to Putin during their meeting on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, in September 2022. Since then, India has repeatedly called for dialogue and diplomacy as the means to address the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

India has maintained communication with both Moscow and Kyiv and has consistently advocated a negotiated settlement. New Delhi has also stressed the importance of respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity while urging all sides to pursue a peaceful resolution.

The meeting between Modi and Putin in Bishkek comes shortly before the Russian President’s expected visit to New Delhi for the BRICS Summit. The two leaders also discussed bilateral relations and matters of mutual interest during their meeting.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar