India in continuous touch with Ukraine and Russia to help end the conflict: Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's visit to Kyiv and Warsaw in late August 2024 marks a significant milestone in India's diplomatic engagement with the Russia-Ukraine conflict, now in its third year since Russia's full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022. This visit represents India's most high-level direct engagement with Ukraine since the war began, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Moscow in July 2024 and his telephone conversations with both President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Vladimir Putin. The historical context is crucial: India has maintained a delicate balancing act, abstaining from UN resolutions condemning Russia while consistently calling for dialogue and diplomacy, a position rooted in its strategic autonomy doctrine that dates back to the Non-Aligned Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. The key stakeholders in this diplomatic dance are multifaceted. Ukraine, led by President Zelenskyy, seeks broader international support for its "Peace Formula" presented at the G20 Bali Summit in November 2022, which emphasizes territorial integrity, nuclear safety, and food security. Russia, under President Putin, views the conflict as an existential security issue and has deep historical defense ties with India — over 60% of Indian military hardware originates from Russia/Soviet Union. Poland, as a frontline NATO and EU member bordering Ukraine, has absorbed millions of Ukrainian refugees and serves as a critical logistics hub for Western military aid. For India, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) under Jaishankar's leadership is operationalizing the constitutional mandate under Article 51 of the Directive Principles of State Policy, which directs the state to "promote international peace and security" and "encourage settlement of international disputes by arbitration." The significance for India spans multiple dimensions. Economically, the conflict disrupted global energy and food markets — India's crude oil import bill surged to $157.5 billion in FY23, though discounted Russian oil (Urals grade) provided some relief, accounting for over 40% of India's oil imports by mid-2024. Politically, India's G20 Presidency in 2023 showcased its ability to forge consensus on the "New Delhi Declaration" language on Ukraine, avoiding direct condemnation of Russia while upholding UN Charter principles. Socially, Operation Ganga (2022) evacuated over 22,500 Indian nationals, mostly students, from Ukraine, demonstrating state capacity. Strategically, India's engagement with Poland — its largest trade partner in Central Europe (bilateral trade ~$5.7 billion in 2023) — aligns with the "Act East" policy's European dimension and the India-EU Trade and Technology Council launched in 2022. Constitutionally, while foreign policy is an executive domain under Article 73 (extent of executive power), parliamentary oversight occurs through the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs. The visit also reflects India's aspirations for UN Security Council reform — a permanent seat would legitimize its mediator role. Broader themes include the tension between strategic autonomy and Western alignment (evident in Quad and I2U2 partnerships), the Global South leadership narrative championed at the Voice of Global South Summit (January 2023 and November 2023), and the challenge of maintaining defense ties with Russia while deepening technology cooperation with the US under iCET (Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies). Future implications are profound. If India can leverage its unique position — trusted by both Moscow and Kyiv — it may facilitate backchannel talks or humanitarian corridors, as seen in the Black Sea Grain Initiative (2022-2023) where India played a quiet supporting role. However, risks abound: Western pressure to distance from Russia, Russian expectations of unwavering support, and the inherent limits of mediation without leverage. The upcoming UN General Assembly (September 2024), BRICS Summit in Kazan (October 2024), and G20 Summit in Rio (November 2024) will test whether this diplomatic momentum translates into tangible de-escalation or remains symbolic engagement.