A children’s hospital in Kiev was bombed by Russia on Monday. At the same time, Putin and Modi met in a hug during a visit to Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi went to the roof and called the action “a big disappointment and a heavy blow to the peace work”.
Modi, who described India-Russia relations as “warm” and based on “mutual trust and respect”, only commented the day after the attack on the hospital.
The war in Ukraine
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We know that about the number of killed and wounded soldiers in Ukraine
– Whether it is war, conflict or terror, it hurts a person who believes in humanity when people lose their lives, Modi said and continued:
– But when innocent children die, the heart bleeds.
India’s Narendra Modi and Russia’s Vladimir Putin embraced in a hug as they met outside Moscow on Monday. Photo: Gavriil Grigorov/TT
Historical partners
Relations between Russia and India go back a long way, and the meeting between the countries’ leaders was part of a strategic partnership established several years ago.
In recent years, India’s imports of Russian products, mainly oil, have also exceeded 60 billion dollars.
According to Henrik Chetan Aspengren, senior analyst and India expert at the Foreign Policy Institute, the dialogue between the countries will likely continue at both a high diplomatic and political level.
However, he does not believe that the meeting in itself means a deepened cooperation between India and Russia.
– If you ask Indians, as is done in various opinion polls, many Indians see Russia as a historically close partner – but the United States is the country of the future.
Not condemned the invasion
India has not condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which is largely seen as a regional conflict with global consequences, according to Henrik Chetan Aspengren.
– But they have signaled their dissatisfaction behind the scenes, he says.
The partnership and trade with Russia, as well as the competition with China, are behind the stance, according to Henrik Chetan Aspengren.
– There are reasons on India’s part not to openly condemn Russia.
Hear Henrik Chetan Aspengren about India’s trade and its view of Russia and China in the clip above.