Modi again urges Putin to end war in Ukraine during Delhi talks

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Delhi on Friday, two days before the start of the BRICS summit on Saturday. During the meeting, Modi again called on Putin to pursue dialogue as a way to end the war in Ukraine.

According to a statement from India's Ministry of External Affairs, Modi stressed that dialogue and diplomacy remain the correct path for resolving conflicts, adding that India stands ready to support peace efforts. The war in Ukraine, along with broader security concerns in the Black Sea region, is on the agenda for the upcoming BRICS summit.

India's stake in the conflict

India has been directly affected by the fallout of the Russia-Ukraine war, as it remains one of the largest buyers of Russian oil and grain. Disruptions to Black Sea shipping caused by attacks from both Russia and Ukraine have hurt Indian trade, and Indian sailors have been among the victims of drone strikes.

A pragmatic stance under growing pressure

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, India has maintained close ties with both Western partners and Moscow, adopting a pragmatic, non-aligned position on the conflict. However, Modi's rhetoric has hardened somewhat recently — in late August, during talks in Kyrgyzstan, he publicly urged Putin, in front of cameras, to end the fighting, signaling a gradual shift in India's public messaging on the war.