Modi vists Poland and Ukraine
After visiting Warsaw, India's prime minister Narendra Modi has continued on to Kyiv for talks. India maintains good contacts with both the West and Moscow and is calling for a peaceful solution to the Ukraine war through dialogue. This has provoked speculation about whether Modi might want to act as mediator. Commentators discuss the pragmatics.
Can't hurt
The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung is not harbouring all too high hopes for Modi's visit to Ukraine.
.“He has not cast himself as a 'mediator' between the Russian aggressor and Kyiv. ... The Indian head of state is only doing what he considers to be in the interests of his country. And that includes strengthening relationships to countries in Central and Eastern Europe. If, however, he is reminded on this occasion of his penchant for talking about the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states, it certainly won't hurt matters. ... There is one reason in particular why Modi cannot completely ignore Western arguments. In the competition for power and influence with China, he needs Western support”
The visit of a global player
Unian explains why Modi's trip to Kyiv is important for India:
“By travelling to Ukraine, Modi is showing that he is prepared to talk to all important parties, and that he's not just concentrating on one side. India is big and powerful enough to have its own voice and its own understanding of things. It is a country that is trying to get into the top tier of global politics - even if it is having a hard time of it. This visit to Ukraine is part of the strategy to show everyone - both in the West and outside the West - that India is prepared to talk to everyone. This does not mean that the Indians will turn pro-Ukrainian overnight, but it does mean that one can talk with them in a sensible manner.”
Is India ordering weapons in Warsaw now?
Polityka asks whether the arms trade was on the agenda when Modi visited Poland:
“There is another dimension to the war in Ukraine. The Indian army used to buy a lot of Soviet and Russian equipment before, but now the Russian industry is primarily producing for the front. The fighting has also cast doubt onto the value of Russian weapons and India now finds itself in a dilemma about where to get aircraft, tanks and missiles. The country produces much itself but potentially also wants something from Poland, which has a lot of experience with modernising Russian weapons.”