Ukraine’s Ambassador to India Oleksandr Polishchuk. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

As the government essays a possible role for India in peace-making in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Ukraine’s Government is keen for New Delhi to sign on to the Swiss Peace Summit document, which would entail reversing India’s previous decision in June to disassociate from it. Speaking to The Hindu, Ukraine’s Ambassador to India Oleksandr Polishchuk said that Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had proposed a retrospective move by India to join the peace process ahead of plans for a second Peace Summit in October or November this year, and that Ukraine had more “ambition” than for India to play “post office” between the leaders . 

Also read: Negotiating for peace: On the ‘Summit on Peace’, in Burgenstock

“We hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Ukraine and conversations with President Zelenskyy indicate India’s support for the peace-building effort,” Mr. Polishchuk told The Hindu in Delhi, in his first interview after the visit, where he confirmed that Mr. Zelenskyy “discussed the possibility that India could review its decision at the first peace summit in Switzerland, and associate itself with the Burgenstock joint communique”, retrospectively or for India to formulate its own proposals that support principles like humanitarian access, nuclear safety, etc. 

‘PM Modi can play a larger role’

After the Swiss Peace Summit in June, India had issued a statement disassociating itself from its outcome as it did not involve both Russia and Ukraine at the table. 

“A large democracy like India should not just be a messenger or post office, conveying messages from one country in the conflict to the other— given PM Modi’s ability to speak to all sides, he can play a larger role in guiding the process and even in hosting the peace summit,“ he added.

The Envoy’s comments come as the Modi Government has stepped up its outreach to other countries playing a role in current efforts to end the conflict, after PM Narendra Modi’s visits to Moscow and Kiev in July and August, and upcoming visits to the United States and U.N. in September and Russia in October, where he will meet other world leaders.

In addition, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is on a six-day visit to Saudi Arabia, Germany and Switzerland (September 8-13) where he will also engage other Gulf country Ministers, as well as heads of U.N. organisations, apart from bilateral meetings.

NSA Doval to visit Russia

National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval will visit Russia this week (September 10-12) for the BRICS NSA meetings where he will meet counterparts from China, Brazil, South Africa, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Ethiopia.

The flurry of diplomatic visits come after Mr. Zelenskyy pitched India as a possible mediator along with other “Global South” countries and Mr. Putin said he valued any efforts by India, China and Brazil on the conflict, and that he was “constantly in touch” with all three.

In May 2024, China and Brazil had presented a six-point peace proposal to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and officials have declined to comment on whether India would endorse the proposal or make its own alternative peace proposal. In Kiev on August 23, Mr. Jaishankar had said it was for the “parties concerned to respond” to the China-Brazil proposal, not India.

Mr. Polishchuk said that while one part of the Modi-Zelenskyy talks had focused on peace efforts, they had also discussed bilateral issues at length, and in particular humanitarian projects in which India could support Ukraine during the conflict.

Although the Modi Government has thus far not accepted Ukrainian requests for possibly “dual use” supplies like diggers and construction equipment, as well as telecom towers and hospital infrastructure, Kiev is now hopeful that India will approve MoUs for electricity generators and transformers given the power crisis in Ukraine, as well as de-mining equipment and prosthetics for those who have lost limbs in the war.

In addition, the Ambassador said they would identify “High Impact Community Development Projects” like school and hospital reconstruction, fitted with computers and air-raid shelters, that could be proposed as part of the MoU signed on Humanitarian Grant Assistance with India. 

 “We need to pay more attention to the implementation of the various plans for cooperation that the leaders agreed to” Mr. Polishchuk said, adding that “The ball is now in our court [the Embassy’s] to study which humanitarian projects we could present for India to disburse funds for.”

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and U.S. NSA Jake Sullivan during a meeting, in New Delhi, on June 17, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his U.S. counterpart Jake Sullivan, who is on a two-day visit, on June 17 underscored the vital importance of adapting each other’s technology protection toolkits and resolved to prevent the “leakage” of sensitive and dual-use technologies to countries of “concern” as they chaired the second meeting of the initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET).

Mr. Sullivan arrived just hours after reports confirmed that Nikhil Gupta was extradited to the U.S., and while neither side confirmed the Pannun case was discussed, it was expected to be high on the agenda.

During the second iCET meeting, the two NSAs set the vision for the next chapter of our strategic technology partnership, according to a joint fact sheet issued after the dialogue. “They underscored their commitment to orienting our cooperation around breakthrough achievements in priority critical and emerging technology areas, by focusing our efforts on co-production, co-development, and research and development opportunities to ensure we stay at the leading edge of innovation and enhancing coordination with like-minded nations to deliver secure, reliable, and cost-competitive technology solutions for the Indian and American people and our partners around the world.”

Mr. Sullivan also held talks with External Affairs minister S. Jaishaknar and later called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Met US NSA Jake Sullivan. India is committed to further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership for global good,” Mr. Modi said on social media ‘X’.

On June 18, both the NSAs are scheduled to address the India- US iCET roundtable with Industry heads organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry. Mr. Sullivan’s India visit for the dialogue was cancelled twice earlier due to geopolitical developments.

India and the U.S. are currently in advanced stages of talks for purchase of 31 MQ-9B Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, local licensed manufacture of the General Electric GE-414 engines as well the Stryker infantry vehicles. “Welcoming the discussions on India’s planned acquisition of the MQ-9B platforms, the possible co-production of land warfare systems, and progress on other co-production initiatives outlined in the India-U.S. Roadmap for Defense Industrial Cooperation,” the fact sheet said in this regard.

On semiconductors, a priority area for both countries, the fact sheet announced the launching of a new strategic semiconductor partnership between General Atomics and 3rdiTech to co-develop semiconductor design and manufacturing for “precision-guided ammunition and other national security-focused electronics platforms.”

The fact sheet also outlined several steps both countries envisage to take in the new and emerging areas in the near future which in a large way would also address dependencies on China. For instance, on rare-earth minerals it outlined, “Promoting India’s vital role in the Mineral Security Partnership, including through co-investing in a lithium resource project in South America and a rare earths deposit in Africa, to responsibly and sustainably diversify critical mineral supply chains.”

The ambitious iCET was announced by Mr. Modi and U.S. President Joseph Biden on the side lines of the Quad Summit in Tokyo in May 2022 and was launched by the NSAs in January 2023 comprising key technology sectors including space, semiconductors, advanced telecommunications, artificial intelligence, quantum, biotechnology, and clean energy. Subsequently, new areas were included including biotechnology, critical minerals and rare earths processing technologies, digital connectivity and digital public infrastructure and advanced materials.

Pannun investigation

Mr. Sullivan’s India visit began just hours after reports confirmed the extradition of Indian national Nikhil Gupta, who is accused of being involved in murder-for-hire plot against Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, from Czech Republic to the US. Mr. Gupta, 52, was arrested in the Czeck Republic last year at the request of the US government. He is expected to be produced before a federal court in New York on Monday.

India, which has come under intense pressure from the US and other countries, has instituted a high-level probe into the matter. To questions few days back from the accompanying White House press corps if the issue would be raised by Mr. Biden with Mr. Modi on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy, Mr. Sullivan without giving a direct response said the topic would continue to be discussed “at very senior levels”.

New Delhi:

Terrorism continues to constitute one of the most serious threats to international peace and regardless of its motivation or cause, the menace is “unjustifiable”, NSA Ajit Doval said on Tuesday. In an address at a conclave of NSAs of India and central Asian countries in Kazakhstan, he also offered fully funded capacity building programmes by New Delhi in a wide range of areas to the participating nations.

The National Security Advisor also said that India is ready to provide the central Asian nations with the technology relating to the United Payment Interface (UPI) free of cost for their independent use. He said that setting up of sovereign digital payment systems will greatly enhance commercial linkages between India and Central Asia and benefit people who may have to travel to India for medical treatment, according to sources. 

The NSA said connectivity and economic integration with the Central Asian countries is a key priority for India. However, while promoting connectivity, it is important to ensure that connectivity initiatives are consultative, transparent, and participatory, he said.

Mr Doval said connectivity initiatives should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries and that they should also adhere to environmental parameters, ensure financial viability, and not become debt burdens.

The remarks came amid increasing criticism of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

In this context, the absence of direct land access between Central Asia and India is an anomaly, he observed.

This absence of direct connectivity is the result of a conscious policy of denial by a particular country, he said in comments seen as an indirect reference to Pakistan.

Mr Doval said this situation is not only self-defeating for this country but it also reduces the collective well-being of the entire region.

He also underlined the advantages of including the Chabahar port in the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

Mr Doval invited Central Asian neighbours to utilize the Chabahar port as well as its Shaheed Bahesti terminal, being operated by an Indian company, for maritime trade. He solicited support for including Chabahar port within the framework of INSTC.   Both Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan will be joining the INSTC soon. With this, all five Central Asian countries will be a member of the INSTC.

The first meeting of NSAs and Secretaries of Security Councils of India and Central Asian nations was held on December 6 last year in New Delhi. Mr Doval also noted that the situation in Afghanistan remains a “cause of concern”.

Our common immediate priorities include providing humanitarian assistance, ensuring the formation of a truly inclusive and representative government combating terrorism and drug trafficking, and preserving the rights of women, children, and them minorities, he said.

India is deeply involved in the humanitarian assistance being provided to the Afghan people, he said.

In line with India’s approach to encourage sports in Afghanistan, the Afghan cricket team is in India to play in the ICC World Cup, Mr Doval said.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)