Roving Periscope: Before visiting Ukraine, PM Modi reiterates dialogue for peace

Virendra Pandit

New Delhi: Ahead of his Friday visit to war-torn Ukraine, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Poland that India has always advocated for permanent peace in the region and reiterated that New Delhi believes in dialogue and diplomacy as the best way to resolve any conflict.

PM Modi arrived in Warsaw on Wednesday on a two-day visit to Poland, becoming the first Indian PM to do so in 45 years, marking 70 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

In Warsaw, he will board a special train for a 10-hour visit to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv at the invitation of President Volodymyr Zelenskky. It will be the first visit of an Indian PM to Ukraine after its independence from the then-Soviet Union in 1991.

Addressing the Indian community at an event in the Polish capital, he reiterated that “this is not an era of war.”

He had told Russian President Vladimir Putin the same words—this is not an era of war—when they met during the Shanghai Cooperation Council Summit in Samarkand in September 2022, and again in July 2023 in Moscow.

“India is the land of Lord Buddha’s legacy. Therefore, we do not believe in war and advocate for permanent peace in this region. India’s concept is clear: this is not an era of war, and it is the time to unite to tackle the biggest challenges of humanity. Thus, India believes in dialogue and diplomacy to resolve conflict,” PM Modi said, the media reported on Thursday.

He said that, unlike its previous tradition of keeping equidistant from all, New Delhi now believes in maintaining equal closeness with all nations.

“The India of today wants to connect with all, and talks about the development of all. Today’s India is with all and thinks about the interests of all.”

“India is now moving ahead on the path of development while priding itself on its values and heritage. We Indians are known for our efforts, actions, and empathy. Wherever we go, we can be seen making maximum efforts. Be it entrepreneurship, caregivers, or our service sector, Indians are bringing laurels to the country through their efforts,” he added.

He also lauded Indian community members for helping Indian students stuck in Ukraine when the war erupted in February 2022 and thanked Poland for facilitating their return to India by removing visa restrictions.

About the recent Lok Sabha elections, PM Modi said, “India is not only the Mother of Democracy but is also a Participatory and Vibrant Democracy. The people of India have unwavering faith in democracy. We have seen this confidence in recent elections also. This was the biggest election in history. About 180 million voters voted in elections recently held in the European Union. Three times more people, 640 million, voted in India.”

Hundreds of political parties, and nearly 8,000 candidates, contested polls. More than five million voting machines, over eight million polling stations, and more than 15 million government employees worked in the elections. This kind of management, efficiency, and trust in the elections is India’s strength,” he added.

The Prime Minister also recalled how the Jam Saheb of Nawanagar (now Jamnagar in Gujarat), Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja, gave shelter to Polish women and children refugees during the Second World War in the 1940s. Grateful, the Polish people still remembered him as the “Dobry or Good Maharaja.”

The monarch built a special camp for Polish women and children, assuring them they could also call him “Bapu”, the way locals fondly addressed him.

“For us, it is not about geopolitics. It is about our values. For people, who did not get a place anywhere, India gave them a place in their hearts and their land. This is our heritage and every Indian is proud of it. Poland has been a witness to India’s Sanatanbhav,” he added.

Announcing a Jam Saheb Memorial Youth Exchange program, he said New Delhi will invite 20 Polish youths annually to visit India to apprise them of what is happening in India.

He recalled that Poland was among the first nations to come to help when Gujarat was hit by an earthquake in 2001. He also spoke about his visit to the Good Maharaja Memorial and Kolhapur Memorial in Warsaw.