E-Paper
Strategic neutrality to active interlocutor: India's push for a Russia-Ukraine peace agreement
This article is authored by Prabhu Dayal, former ambassador, New Delhi.
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Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, global diplomacy has fractured along predictable geopolitical fault lines. However, India's positioning has undergone a remarkable evolution. Originally taking a cautious, neutral stance characterised by its declaration that "Europe's problems are not the world's problems", New Delhi has steadily transitioned into an active diplomatic intermediary. By putting forward a tangible, phased peace roadmap, India has emerged as a rare, credible bridge between Moscow and Kyiv, leveraging its unique diplomatic equity to de-escalate the conflict.
For the first few years of the conflict, India’s approach was defined by rhetorical commitments to peace, balanced against its strategic dependencies. New Delhi maintained strong, historically deep ties with Moscow—resisting Western pressure and continuing to purchase discounted Russian energy—while simultaneously engaging with the West and offering humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi famously encapsulated this early philosophy by telling Russian President Vladimir Putin that "today’s era is not an era of war."
However, India’s strategy evolved from passive neutrality into active conflict resolution. This transition culminated in high-level shuffles, including PM Modi's visits to both Moscow and Kyiv, alongside intensive diplomatic follow-ups by external affairs minister S Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. India moved decisively beyond simply advocating for peace, stepping forward to conduct practical, backchannel discussions on reducing hostilities.
India’s current peace push is anchored in a concrete, three-part ceasefire plan. Rather than immediately attempting to untangle the deeply intractable political questions of territorial sovereignty or NATO security guarantees, New Delhi’s strategy targets "second-order" agreements. The plan focuses on immediate, shared economic and humanitarian pain points that have global ramifications.
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha explicitly acknowledged India’s proposal as the "most comprehensive" and broadest among four international initiatives on the table (the others being from the US, Turkey, and Egypt).
The core pillars of the Indian proposal include:
- Protection of Black Sea Shipping: Securing commercial maritime routes to protect international seafarers and ensure unhindered global trade.
- Securing grain and agricultural Exports: Re-establishing food pipeline security to prevent a major food crisis, particularly in the Global South.
- A mutual truce on energy infrastructure: Halting reciprocal attacks on energy networks, which includes stopping Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil installations and Russian missile strikes on the Ukrainian power grid.
By linking a potential energy truce directly with a Black Sea agricultural agreement, India provided a pragmatic combination that both combatants have deemed worthy of consideration.
What distinguishes India's peace push from other international mediation efforts is its unique acceptability to both warring factions. The Kremlin has warmly welcomed New Delhi's involvement. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov explicitly expressed Russia's gratitude for India's readiness to make a "feasible contribution" and praised the tangible ideas offered by PM Modi. President Putin echoed this sentiment, publicly stating that the Indian PM has "excellent ideas" aimed at finding mutually acceptable solutions.
Simultaneously, Kyiv has embraced New Delhi as a vital mediator. Ukraine’s open praise for the Indian proposal reflects its trust in India’s ability to act as an interlocutor that respects Ukrainian concerns regarding territorial concessions while retaining open communication lines with Putin.
India's proactive mediation is driven by both global responsibility and enlightened self-interest.
Mitigating global economic fallout: The weaponisation of fuel, food, and fertiliser has disproportionately harmed developing nations. As a self-appointed voice for the Global South, India views a localised truce in the Black Sea and energy sectors as vital to stabilising volatile global markets.
Deflecting western scrutiny: Actively working to broker a ceasefire provides a potent response to Western critics who have scrutinised India's extensive purchases of Russian oil.
Balancing major powers: As an independent pole in a multipolar world, India’s diplomatic intervention demonstrates that Washington and Beijing are not the only actors capable of shaping global security architectures.
India’s push for a Russia-Ukraine peace agreement represents a watershed moment for its foreign policy. By shifting from cautious strategic autonomy to active, problem-solving mediation, New Delhi has demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of contemporary statecraft. By focusing on achievable, granular agreements—such as safeguarding energy grids and food supply chains—rather than sweeping territorial settlements, India has provided the international community with its most viable off-ramp from the conflict yet. Whether this framework leads to a permanent end to hostilities remains to be seen, but India has successfully cemented its role as an indispensable broker for global peace.
(The views expressed are personal)
This article is authored by Prabhu Dayal, former ambassador, New Delhi.
