Key Takeaways From PM Modi Ukraine Visit [Current Affairs]

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has wrapped up his trip to Ukraine. Modi became the first Indian prime minister to make a state visit to Ukraine since the two countries established relations over three decades ago.

P.M Modi’s Ukraine visit

In his Ukraine visit some key outcomes to be noted, such as:

Homage to Mahatma Gandhi’s statue

Modi and Volodymyr Zelenskyy held wide-ranging talks at Mariinskyi Palace, the official residence of the Ukrainian President, paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi’s statue at ‘Oasis of Peace’ park in Kyiv.

Honored the memory of the children

P.M Modi honoured the memory of the children that have been killed by the Russia-Ukraine war at the Martyrologist Exposition on children at the National Museum of History of Ukraine.

Focusing on the development of a strategic partnership

“Following the visit, we also agreed on a joint statement focusing on the development of a strategic partnership, bilateral trade, and continued military-technical cooperation,” said the Ukrainian President, whose country is at war with Russia.

Joint India-Ukraine statement

PM Modi’s office in the joint India-Ukraine statement said both leaders reiterated their readiness for further cooperation in upholding principles of international law, including the UN Charter, such as respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty of states. “They agreed on the desirability of closer bilateral dialogue in this regard,” the joint statement said.

India is not neutral

“We (India) are not neutral. From the very beginning, we have taken sides. And we have chosen the side of peace. We have come from the land of Buddha where there is no place for war,” PM Modi said in his opening remarks during the talks. “We have come from the land of Mahatma Gandhi who had given a message of peace to the entire world,” he said.

Expansion and deepen bilateral trade

Both sides agreed to ask the Indian-Ukrainian Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) to explore all possible ways to not only restore bilateral trade and economic relations to pre-conflict levels, but expand and deepen them further. There has been a significant reduction in the annual bilateral trade in goods since 2022 due to the challenges related to the ongoing conflict.

Diplomatic balancing act

PM Modi’s visit to Kyiv is seen in many quarters as a diplomatic balancing act as his trip to Russia triggered anguish among some Western countries. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said PM Modi reiterated the need for “practical engagement” between all stakeholders to develop an innovative solution that will help build broad acceptability and contribute towards peace and stability.

Comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council

Both sides called for a comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council to reflect contemporary global realities and to make it more representative, effective and efficient in dealing with issues of international peace and security. Ukraine reiterated its support for India’s permanent membership of a reformed and expanded UN Security Council.