India seeks a greater role in efforts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine — Bloomberg
Kyiv • UNN
India is holding talks with Russia and Ukraine on shipping, energy, and ending the attacks. New Delhi seeks to strengthen its diplomatic role.
India is playing a more direct role in efforts to end the Russian-Ukrainian war, engaging both sides in resolving issues including shipping and reducing hostilities. The country’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said this, reports UNN, citing Bloomberg.
Details
Speaking at a security conference last weekend, Jaishankar said that in recent months India had become "slightly more involved than mere advocacy." The comments point to a more active role for New Delhi after years of a cautious approach to the war, partly because of its longstanding ties with Russia, the publication notes.
"We are talking to both Russia and Ukraine about this. We are trying to be helpful, starting with the issue of shipping security in the Black Sea," he said, adding that the talks also covered energy supplies and "the possibility of no attacks."
India has called for an end to the hostilities but has been reluctant to criticize the Kremlin, abstaining from United Nations votes condemning the war, the publication notes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin to end the conflict during a meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Kyrgyzstan at the end of August.
Jaishankar said that dialogue and diplomacy are important for ending the war. He added that India’s relations with Russia had developed over many years and now encompass energy, space, and trade.
When Modi met with Putin on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in September, they pledged to deepen ties, emphasizing their close relationship even as Washington pressured New Delhi to distance itself from Moscow.
The United States sought to use its position as India’s largest trading partner to pressure New Delhi to stop buying Russian oil. India’s purchases initially declined but rose again during the war in the Middle East.
Russia is also New Delhi’s main arms supplier. India’s armed forces have hundreds of Russian-made fighter jets, as well as several S-400 air defense systems, which were used during the four-day conflict with Pakistan in May 2025.