Since her independence, India has always tried to maintain peace with other countries, and have urged other countries to maintain peaceful co-existence. As part of the Non-Aligned Movement, India brought up the third world comprising countries that do not support the rising imperialism between the USA and USSR. Despite border issues with China and Pakistan covering quite a large area, India has tried her best to initiate dialogue and resolve all bilateral issues through dialogue.
Today, when Russia and Ukraine are at war, India has maintained her stand that dialogue between the two nations is the only way forward. India has sided with neither Russia nor Ukraine, and maintained neutrality in the conflict. India’s close ties with Russia is not the reason for India’s neutrality. India has always maintained that officials from both Russia and Ukraine should sit together and resolve the outstanding issues themselves rather than go for a total war.
India has been a part of Shanghai Cooperation Organization since 2017. In the platform, all issues related to terrorism, separatism and extremism are discussed. The Prime Minister of India, Sri Narendra Modi has met several leaders of the member-states, and has discussed bilateral issues, diplomatic ties with the states on the occasion of the summit. India has always voiced her opinion in eradicating terrorism, separatism and extremism from the society in the summits, and have taken an active role in the SCO.
However, with regards to the Russia-Ukraine war, India has indirectly criticized Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine. “I know that today’s era is not of war and we have talked to you many times over the phone on the subject that democracy and diplomacy and dialogue are all these things that touch the world,” Modi told Putin during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in the city of Samarkand in Uzbekistan. However, the reply from Putin was also affirmative. “I know about your position on the conflict in Ukraine and I know about your concerns. We want all of this to end as soon as possible,” he said. India’s statement and intervention in the war has been appreciated throughout the world.
Written by – Himadri Paul