Modi’s remarks not a sign of rift in Indo-Russia ties

File image of PM Modi with Russian President Vladimir Putin (Image: AP)

Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s remarks to Russian President Vladimir Putin, that “this era was not an era for war,” were neither a rebuke nor the sign of a rift in India and Russia's strategic partnership, say Indian and Russian experts.

They pointed out that the meeting of the two leaders on the sidelines of the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) summit in Samarkand last week, and the discussions, were a reiteration of the strong relationship, mutual trust, and confidence the two countries enjoyed.

Modi’s remarks have been widely hailed in the West, and many commentators hinted that they reflected a shift in India’s policy on Ukraine, and a rift in Indo-Russian relations.

“I think what you’re seeing is just a manifestation of the fact that this aggression has been an aggression against the interests of the people across the planet,’’ US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in response to Modi’s remarks.

Other US officials and commentators described the remarks as “stinging rebuke” and the “distancing” of India and China from Russia.

But Indian and Russian diplomats have rubbished them as “cherry picking” by American and Western commentators.

“Western nations are picking out the narrative that suits them,” Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov told mediapersons in Delhi on Friday.

“Nothing has changed for India and Russia,” said Alipov, while expressing Russia’s appreciation for India’s consistent stand of seeking a peaceful resolution of the dispute with Ukraine.

Indian diplomats also shared this view, stressing that despite Western propaganda, the PM’s remarks should not be seen as a rebuke as they were made in the context of rising food and energy prices. Moreover, the concerns expressed by Modi had also been raised by him during conversations with Putin earlier.

They felt the meeting between the two leaders and their discussion should be seen as the continuance of strong bilateral ties.

Though the western commentators emphasised the concerns expressed by Modi, they were not able to explain what made Putin highlight the concerns that two of his strategic partners — China and India — have over Ukraine, especially at a time of reports of a string of setbacks faced by Russian soldiers at the hands of the Ukrainian army.

The Russian President had separately met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and the Indian Prime Minister during the SCO summit. At both the meetings, he acknowledged that his strategic partners had concerns over the Ukraine war.

Though there was no mention in the Chinese readout of the Xi-Putin meeting, the Indian media had highlighted Modi’s concern about a disruption in the global food, energy, and fertiliser supply chain, and the sharp increase in their prices because of the Ukraine war.

Both India and China have been criticised in the US and European capitals for not taking a clear stand against Russia on Ukraine.

There is a feeling among observers that by talking about Xi and Modi’s concerns about the Ukraine war, Putin was deliberately giving them an opportunity to show to the US and other western nations that despite their close relations with Russia and refusal to condemn its invasion of Ukraine, they had concerns about the war and wanted an early end to it.

The Russian President said that the war in Ukraine should be brought to an early end, but blamed the leadership in Kyiv for their refusal to come for negotiations and continue the conflict instead.

This was also repeated by the Russian ambassador in Delhi on September 23. But Blinken has said recently that the onus to end the war lies with Russia, and for Ukraine there is no option but to fight for its survival in the face of continued Russian aggression.

In their discussion, Putin and Modi also spoke about their strong partnership and the eight-fold increase in Indian fertiliser imports from Russia, and the large joint projects in sectors like oil and gas, nuclear power, culture, and tourism.

Both leaders also fondly remembered their visit to each other’s countries, including Putin’s trip to India last December, his first bilateral trip after travel restrictions eased post the pandemic. They also talked about continuing their high-level engagement, and Putin proposed that the Indian Prime Minister visit Moscow.

After their closed-door interaction, Modi told the media that he had had a `wonderful’ meeting with Putin.

Indian diplomats point out that though the Ukraine war and its aftermath could make Russia more dependent on China, it was unlikely to affect the relations that Moscow and Delhi enjoy.

Apart from cooperating with each other in several areas, Russia remains India’s main weapons supplier.

At a time when India is engaged in a two-year-old military stand-off with Chinese troops at the frontier, it can ill-afford to jeopardise ties with Moscow.

By maintaining its close relationship with Russia, India would like to ensure that despite China’s emergence as an important partner for Russia, it would not leave Moscow without options and friends.