PM Modi’s US visit highlights India’s role in world diplomacy, says expert

Foreign affairs expert Robinder Sachdev said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the US highlights India’s role in global diplomacy, particularly amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Sachdev noted that India, under Modi’s leadership, is taking a clear and active stance, adding that this shift is notable, as India, an Asian power, is in a position to mediate in a conflict in Europe.

While speaking with ANI, Sachdev remarked that Prime Minister Modi’s third term has marked a significant shift in India’s foreign policy. He said, “Since PM Modi entered his third term, the gear of India’s foreign policy has changed. In this changing environment, India has decided it will help solve the world’s biggest challenges.”

He further asserted that India has made it clear that it is working on a peace plan for Ukraine. He said, “India has made it clear to the world that we are working on this one point peace plan, where peace is not a target, but the only way.”

Quoting PM Modi’s speech at the Summit of the Future, where he stated that “global ambition must match global action,” Sachdev said, “There is a lot of ambition, but there should be action on it. So, India is now taking action regarding the Ukraine war. Regarding this, he (Modi) met Putin (Russian President Vladimir Putin) and Zelenskyy (Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy). There were conversations on the phone, and NSA Ajit Doval went to Russia recently.”

Sachdev added, “PM Modi also talked to President Joe Biden during the Quad meeting and met Zelenskyy as well. PM Modi is now understanding what is the interest of everyone in this whole process. At the end of the day, everyone will have to adjust, and at this moment, India is playing a clear, active role. India has never played such a role in world diplomacy, and the most interesting thing would be that an Asian power is in a position to stop a conflict in Europe.”

Notably, PM Modi held a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in New York, where both leaders reiterated their commitment to implementing the outcomes of Modi’s recent visit to Ukraine. This marked the third time the two leaders had met in the last three months.

While addressing the ‘Summit of the Future’ on Monday, PM Modi said that cyber, maritime, and space are emerging as new areas of conflict and that it is high time “global action must match global ambition.”

PM Modi stressed that terrorism remains a serious threat to global peace and security. “While on one hand, terrorism continues to be a serious threat to global peace and security, on the other hand, cyber, maritime and space are emerging as new areas of conflict. On all these issues, I will stress that global action must match global ambition,” he said.

PM Modi participated in the Quad Summit on the first day of his three-day visit to the United States.

At the UN Summit of the Future, world leaders adopted a Pact for the Future, which included a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations. The Pact covered a broad range of themes, including peace and security, sustainable development, climate change, digital cooperation, human rights, gender, youth and future generations, and the transformation of global governance.