Showcasing India’s balancing act, PM Modi visited both Russia and Ukraine.

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Ukraine, weeks after a state visit to Russia has earned praise from a former Singaporean diplomat who says India’s role in global diplomacy has reached a crucial juncture, and the role of the West has greatly diminished.

In an exclusive interview to NDTV’s Sonia Singh, former Singaporean diplomat Professor Kishore Mahbubani said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to both Russia and Ukraine signifies how India has “arrived as a major geopolitical actor”.

“How many leaders in the world can comfortably visit both Russia and Ukraine and be received warmly by both countries. Very few countries in the world. And the fact that Prime Minister Modi can do that is a sign of how India has arrived as a major geopolitical actor,” Mr Mahbubani said.

Prime Minister Modi visited Russia and met President Vladimir Putin in July to strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries. During his discussions with President Putin, PM Modi reiterated India’s stand and emphasised on “peaceful resolution of the conflict around Ukraine through dialogue and diplomacy including engagement between both parties”.

Showcasing India’s ability to manage good relations with most nations, Prime Minister Modi visited Ukraine within weeks of his Russia visit, making it the first-ever visit by an Indian PM to Ukraine since the European country’s formation after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Hailing the trip as “historic”, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky signed four documents with India on a wide range of issues.

“We (India) are not neutral. From the very beginning, we have taken a side. And we have chosen the side of peace. We have come from the land of Buddha where there is no place for war,” PM Modi had said in his opening remarks during the talks.

Professor Mahbubani also spoke about how India could play a bigger role in the world if given a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

“The greatest hope for India to play a role globally, for example, giving it a permanent membership in the UN Security Council will enable India to do much more in terms of creating a better world,” he said.

India has been vying for a permanent seat at UNSC, with countries like Russia, France, the US, and the UK all endorsing India’s bid, China being the only hindrance.