Leading international media outlets have taken notice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s advice to Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the Ukraine war at a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
“Today’s era is not of war and I have spoken to you about it on the call. Today we will get the opportunity to talk about how we can progress on the path of peace. “PM Modi told Putin that India and Russia have stayed together with each other for several decades,” expressing his concerns about the impact of the war on food and energy security. “We spoke several times on the phone about India-Russia bilateral relations and various issues. We should find ways to address the problems of food, fuel security, and fertiliser security. I want to thank Russia and Ukraine for helping us to evacuate our students from Ukraine,” he added.
The diplomatic skill of PM Modi, who in a cordial tone conveyed the worries of the international community to its longtime ally Russia, was praised by the international media.
According to an American publication, CNN, Narendra Modi, the leader of India, says to Russian President Vladimir Putin: “Now is not the time for conflict.”
While another US publication, The Washington Post, headlined, “Modi rebukes Putin over war in Ukraine”.
The New York Times said in its headline, “India’s Leader Tells Putin That Now Is Not an Era for War,”
Both The Washington Post and The New York Times made it the main story on their respective websites.
Meanwhile, the leading Japanese publication, NHK’s headline was “Indian PM Modi tells Putin to pursue peace,” while Hong Kong-based leading daily, South China Morning Post, reported that now is “not a time for war’, India’s Modi tells Russia’s Putin, who vows to “end this as soon as possible.’
Other publications, such as Politico, reported that “India’s Modi tells Putin: This is not the era for war,” and that “Indian PM Modi Tells Russia’s Putin Now ‘Is Not an Era of War.”
In February of 2022, Russia began a special military operation in Ukraine.
The remarks, which PM Modi delivered during a face-to-face conversation on Friday outside of a regional gathering, emphasised Russia’s growing isolation on the international scene. They appeared the day after Putin acknowledged China’s “questions and concerns” about the invasion.
Russian President Vladimir Putin responded to PM Modi by saying that he is aware of India’s stance on the conflict in Ukraine and that “we want all of this to stop as soon as possible.”
“But the other party, the leadership of Ukraine, has claimed… that they refuse to engage in the negotiation process. They said they want to achieve their objectives, as they say, on the battlefield militarily. We will keep you abreast of everything that is happening over there,” he added.
“The rare reproach showed the 69-year-old Russian strongman coming under extraordinary pressure from all sides,” the Post said.
Putin claimed that Russia and India’s relations are in the type of a privileged strategic alliance and are still developing very quickly.
We are actively engaging on international platforms. We are in discussion on international issues. Sometimes these issues are something that is not very good news…,” he said.
