Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi again pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin on the need to end the war in Ukraine, stating that continued conflict pushes humanity backward. The two leaders met on August 31 in Bishkek, according to sankei.com.
Modi’s remarks, reported by sankei.com and other outlets, mark another instance of the Indian leader publicly urging peace in the nearly three-year-old conflict. He emphasized that the days of war are causing humanity to regress, a message he has delivered to Putin on previous occasions.
The meeting in the Kyrgyz capital came as part of ongoing diplomatic engagement between the two countries. Putin, for his part, expressed gratitude for Modi’s efforts, according to a report from TV Asahi (ANN) cited by Yahoo! News. The specific details of what Putin thanked Modi for were not detailed in the available reporting.
India has maintained a delicate balancing act since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. New Delhi has repeatedly called for dialogue and a diplomatic resolution while avoiding direct condemnation of Moscow, a stance that has drawn criticism from Western nations. India continues to be a significant buyer of Russian energy, and the two countries maintain close defense ties.
Modi’s latest public appeal, made face-to-face with Putin, underscores the persistent gap between India’s calls for peace and Russia’s continued military campaign. The meeting in Bishkek adds to a series of interactions between the two leaders, including summits and bilateral visits, where Ukraine has been a recurring topic.
What to watch next: Whether Modi’s repeated appeals translate into any concrete shift in Russia’s position on Ukraine, or if India will take on a more active mediation role in the conflict.
