. Only a few weeks have passed since his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
The visit is noteworthy as Mr. Modi’s July visit to the Russian capital sparked strong reactions in Kyiv and other Western cities.
Especially harsh was Mr. Zelensky, who expressed his disappointment at witnessing the head of the biggest democracy in the world embrace the most violent criminal in history in Moscow.
Is Mr. Modi in Kiev, then, in order to appease Mr. Zelensky and other Western dignitaries?
Not totally.
India’s decision to maintain balance in its relations with two rival states or blocs is not surprising. The nation has benefited greatly from its well-known non-alignment approach to geopolitics for many years.
The primary goal of India’s first-ever prime ministerial visit to Ukraine on Friday is to send a message that, despite maintaining close ties with Russia, India will still collaborate closely with the West.
Director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center think tank in Washington, Michael Kugelman, predicts that the journey will further reaffirm India’s strategic independence.
“India is not in the business of appeasing anyone, including Western powers. By reaffirming ties with Kyiv and expressing its concerns about the ongoing war, the tour is intended to further Indian interests, he said.
