Six weeks after embracing Vladimir Putin in Moscow and calling the Russian president his “dear friend” at the very moment when Russian forces were bombing a children’s hospital in Ukraine, Narendra Modi embraced Volodymyr Zelensky outside the presidential palace in Kyiv on Friday, August 23. The Indian prime minister arrived by train from Poland, where he was received by his counterpart Donald Tusk for two days.
The visit of the Indian prime minister to Ukraine was a historic event, as it was the first visit by an Indian head of government since Ukraine’s independence in 1991. However, the visit was also seen as an act of reparation, as the prime minister’s image had been damaged by his previous visit to Russia. The Ukrainian president reacted to the visit by describing it as
“a huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the world’s largest democracy hug the world’s most bloody criminal in Moscow on such a day.”
This visit risked alienating both Russia, a long-standing partner and arms supplier, and the West, Ukraine’s allies. India’s delicate balancing act was essential to avoid antagonizing either side.
Despite Modi’s gestures of being a strategic ally of the West, India has maximized its benefits from Russian oil and has recently acquired heavy caches of Russian oil worth billions of dollars, anathema to international morality and ethics. The tangible outcomes of Modi’s previous visit to Russia were far-reaching, with nine agreements signed, mainly focusing on trade and investment promotion. A significant deal involved the commitment to return 35 Indian citizens deceived into fighting for the Russian army in Ukraine.
While India publicly expresses solidarity with Ukraine, it has a deep-rooted nuclear energy partnership with Russia. The two nations have established two operational reactors in Kudankulam and are discussing plans for six additional advanced units. This collaboration is likely underpinned by a long-term uranium supply agreement for the existing plant
Modi’s visit to Russia faced strong criticism from the West and the US, compelling him to visit Ukraine under pressure to appease his Western allies. His foreign visits continue despite the deteriorating situation in Manipur and IIOJK, showing utter disregard for issues in opposition-led areas.
Despite India’s government claiming strategic autonomy, critics perceive its foreign policy as inconsistent. This has led to concerns about India’s reliability as a partner. Given the controversy surrounding its tacit support for Russia, there’s a strong possibility that India will provide arms or ammunition to Ukraine as a balancing act to appease Western critics and mitigate the strain on its foreign policy
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, India has consistently abstained from UN votes condemning Russia, despite Western pressure. Additionally, it has refused to identify Russia as the aggressor. India has significantly increased its purchases of low-cost Russian oil, defying Western calls to do otherwise. This has provided financial support to Moscow’s war effort, a fact noted by Ukrainian President Zelensky and criticized by the United States.
Arab countries should carefully reconsider their policies and agreements with India, Modi’s policy, seen by many as opportunistic, is unlikely to be effective. India’s recent diplomatic maneuvers, such as embracing both Russia and Ukraine amidst the ongoing conflict, reveal a pattern of opportunism that raises concerns about its reliability as a partner. Amidst the ongoing Palestinian situation, there was a highly skewed trend of Indian accounts supporting Israel and inciting violence against Palestinian civilians. There were also questions arose about the India-Arab friendship, which was nothing but a façade.
This duplicity extends beyond Europe; in the context of the Palestinian struggle, India has shown a disturbing alignment with Israel, including the unacknowledged sale of drones used in conflict zones like Gaza. Furthermore, influential Indian figures have been spreading anti-Arab propaganda on social media, undermining the notion of India-Arab friendship. These actions suggest that India may not be the steadfast ally it portrays itself to be, and Arab nations should reevaluate their strategic partnerships with India to safeguard their own interests and regional stability.
