Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Ukraine in August 2024 has sparked significant debate and analysis, raising crucial questions about India’s strategic motivations and the broader implications of its foreign policy. As the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Ukraine, Modi’s trip comes at a time of heightened global tension due to the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian conflict. While the visit was touted as a diplomatic success by Indian officials, a closer examination reveals a complex interplay of strategic balancing, international scepticism, and potential missed opportunities.
Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Ukraine on August 23, 2024, was laden with symbolic gestures and high-stakes diplomacy. During his brief stay in Kyiv, Modi met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Mariinsky Palace, where discussions centered on India’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, potential areas of bilateral cooperation, and the broader geopolitical implications of the ongoing conflict.[1] Modi also participated in significant symbolic acts, including laying flowers at the Mahatma Gandhi monument and honouring the memory of Ukrainian children killed during the war.[2]
