India ready to provide all possible assistance for peace in Ukraine: PM Modi in Kazan

India supports peace between Ukraine and Russia, offering assistance, as Prime Minister Modi meets with President Putin.

India supports restoration of peace between Ukraine and Russia and is committed to providing “all possible assistance” to end the crisis, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (October 22, 2024) during a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Mr. Modi took part in the bilateral meeting soon after reaching Kazan where Russia is hosting the 16th BRICS summit in the backdrop of the continued conflicts in the Gaza Strip and Ukraine. Mr. Modi also met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and called for the de-escalation of tension in the West Asian region.

ALSO READ: BRICS Summit 2024 - October 22 highlights

“We have been in continuous contact over the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. As I have said before, we continue to believe that these disputes should be resolved through peaceful means. We support restoration of peace and stability as soon as possible. Our efforts prioritise humanity. India is ready to provide all possible assistance in the upcoming period,” said Mr. Modi in his opening remarks. The Prime Minister’s participation in the BRICS events in Kazan comes months after he travelled to Moscow for the annual India-Russia summit in July.

Earlier, Mr. Modi was received by Rustam Minnikhanov, head of the Republic of Tatarstan and given a traditional Tatar welcome at Kazan, which is the largest city and the capital of Russia’s Tatarstan. He was driven to the bilateral meeting with Mr. Putin in an Aurus car.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said in a press briefing that the two sides also discussed the early release of Indian nationals who had ended up fighting for the Russian military on the Ukraine front, after being duped by unscrupulous foreign employment agents. “Currently the embassy is pursuing around twenty cases with the Russian side and we very much hope that all of these individuals can be released at an early date and repatriated to India,” said Mr. Misri.

Mr. Misri announced that the two sides will hold the 25th session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on trade, technical and cultural cooperation in November in New Delhi and that India will soon be opening two new consulates in Kazan and in Yekaterinburg.