"Move From Endless War To End Of War": PM Modi's Message To Putin On Ukraine - NDTV

**Prime Minister Narendra Modi urges “move from endless war to end of war” in meeting with President Vladimir Putin**

New Delhi – During the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin in a bilateral discussion that turned to the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the broader Middle‑East. The encounter, which took place on June 14, 2024, was held alongside talks with Iran’s foreign minister Hossein Pezeshkian and was followed by a joint appearance at the Nomad Games, a cultural showcase organised by the SCO. The summit, attended by leaders from China, India, Russia, and Central Asian states, also featured a separate meeting between President Xi Jinping and President Putin, where the two leaders reiterated the need for closer China‑Russia cooperation amid “growing uncertainties” in the international system.

In his remarks to Putin, Prime Minister Modi stressed that the world must shift from “endless war” to a genuine “end of war,” calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Ukraine and urging diplomatic engagement to resolve the crisis. He reiterated India’s long‑standing position that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations must be respected, and emphasized that the path to peace in West Asia likewise lies in dialogue, not military escalation. While refraining from condemning either side directly, Modi highlighted the human cost of protracted conflict and appealed to Russia to play a constructive role in facilitating a negotiated settlement that would bring stability to the region.

Analysts note that Modi’s message aligns with India’s broader foreign‑policy strategy of strategic autonomy, seeking to maintain balanced ties with both Moscow and the West while championing multilateral solutions to security challenges. The Prime Minister’s statements were received positively by Russian officials, who described the discussion as “frank and constructive.” Meanwhile, observers in New Delhi point out that India’s call for peace does not signal a shift in its defence or energy cooperation with Russia, but rather underscores New Delhi’s desire to position itself as a mediator in global conflicts. The meeting also comes at a time when Beijing’s calls for tighter China‑Russia coordination add further complexity to the geopolitical calculus surrounding the Ukraine war and regional tensions in the Middle East.

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