Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the situation in Ukraine, including its impact on international food and energy markets, in a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to the Indian government, Modi reiterated India’s long-standing position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy.
At Modi’s request, as per Russian authorities, Putin briefed him on the key aspects of the Russian “special military operation” in Ukraine, emphasising “the dangerous and provocative nature of the line of the Kyiv regime and its Western patrons aimed at escalating the crisis and disrupting efforts to resolve it politically and diplomatically”.
This was the fourth conversation Modi had with Putin since Russia’s war in Ukraine. The US and others are currently implementing fresh sanctions targeting Russia’s defence exports and to ban gold imports from the country.
Putin is learnt to have drawn Modi’s attention to the “systemic mistakes” made by a number of states that led to the disruption of the “entire architecture of free trade of food products and provoked a significant increase of their cost”.
“Illegitimate sanctions against Russia have exacerbated an already difficult situation. The same factors had a negative impact on the global energy market. At the same time, the Russian leader stressed that Russia has been and remains a reliable producer and supplier of grain, fertilisers and energy carriers, including to the Indian partners,” said a Russian readout of the conversation.
India has refused to join the West in condemning Russia’s actions in Ukraine and the government continues to ramp up its Russian oil imports despite international sanctions imposed by the US and other Western countries. India has defended its position saying it wants to be able to reach out to both Russia and Ukraine to promote dialogue between them.
The two leaders reviewed the implementation of the decisions taken during Putin’s visit to India in December 2021, said the government.
