Warsaw: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed concern over the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia (Middle East), and said there are no solutions to be found on the battlefield. He said the loss of innocent lives is a big challenge for humanity and re-asserted his stance of dialogue and diplomacy to help end the conflicts in collaboration with like-minded countries.
Speaking at a press conference in Warsaw after holding talks with his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk, PM Modi said, "The ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia are a deep concern for all of us. India firmly believes that no conflict can be resolved on the battlefield. The loss of innocent lives in any crisis has become the greatest challenge for all of humanity. We support dialogue and diplomacy for the swift restoration of peace and stability. For this, India is ready to provide all possible cooperation in conjunction with its friendly countries."
PM Modi will leave Warsaw tonight to visit Ukraine at the invitation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to help re-assert the message of peace amid the two-year-long war. Notably, India has walked a diplomatic tightrope on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War due to its historic relations with Russia. Last month, PM Modi told Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow that it was "painful" to watch innocent children die and that no solutions could be found on the battlefield.
Polish PM Tusk welcomes PM Modi's remarks
Standing beside the Indian leader, Polish Prime Minister Tusk said he welcomed the former's comments and that Modi's visit to Ukraine would be "historic". "I am very glad that the PM (Modi) confirmed readiness to engage personally in a peaceful, just and quick end to the war (in Ukraine). We are certain that India can play a very important and positive role here. This declaration is of great significance, especially as the Prime Minister will soon visit Kyiv. We are certain that this visit will be historic as well," he said in the press meet.
Tusk thanked PM Modi for becoming the first Indian leader to visit Poland in 45 years, and both leaders agreed to elevate their ties to a Strategic Partnership on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. Tusk also said he and Modi had discussed the deepening of their cooperation on defence matters and artificial intelligence.
"We want to increase trade in many areas between Poland and India. It is no coincidence that we talked about intensification in terms of the defence industry. We are ready as Poland to take part in the modernisation of military equipment. We have the necessary qualifications, the companies and the technical capacity. I am pleased with the offer of close cooperation not just in terms of the defence industry, but in terms of the newest technologies," the Polish PM further said.
'India's concept is clear - this is not an era of war'
Prior to the Modi-Tusk meet, the Indian PM had echoed his earlier stance on dialogue and diplomacy for the return of peace in Ukraine while addressing the Indian community in Warsaw on Wednesday. Addressing the Indian diaspora in the Polish capital, Modi also said that India had a policy for decades to maintain distance from all the countries. However, the policy of today's India is to remain close to all the countries, he added, amid chants of Modi-Modi.
"India is the land of Lord Buddha's legacy. Therefore, India is an advocate of permanent peace in this region. India's concept is clear - this is not an era of war... India believes in dialogue and diplomacy to resolve conflict," PM Modi told the gathering. His remarks come ahead of his trip to Kyiv - the first visit by an Indian prime minister to Ukraine since the country became independent in 1991.
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