July 31 :
In response to a question during a Senate hearing regarding Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Moscow this month, Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell stated on July 30 that he anticipates hearing shortly that India is increasing its engagement with UkraineI I predict that word will get out that India is getting more involved in the conflict in Ukraine. That is very appreciated. According to Campbell, India aspires to be a responsible global actor, as he stated before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Even though Russia was sanctioned by Western nations for its aggressive invasion of Ukraine in 2022, countries like China and India kept trading with Russia. Earlier this month, during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, a missile attack from Russia hit a hospital in Kyiv, killing 44 people and prompting international outrage. According to Indian media agencies, Modi is expected to make his first official visit to Ukraine since Russia's invasion in 2022 during his August visit.
When asked about Campbell's remarks, the Indian embassy in Washington cited a news conference held in Tokyo on Monday by Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who stated that more efforts were required to promote talks to resolve the conflict in Ukraine and that India was among the few nations communicating with representatives from both sides. Jaishankar stated, "We do believe we should be more active there," assuring that Modi met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy before his visit to Moscow, while both were in Italy for the G-7 conference.
Jaishankar stated, "I can reasonably expect there will be more contacts between us and Ukraine and between us and Russia as well" in response to a question regarding the likelihood of Modi's travel to Ukraine. While meeting with Jaishankar in Japan on Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed the significance of a "just and enduring peace" for Ukraine.
While trying to fortify ties with India as a possible counterweight to China, the State Department has voiced concerns about India's connection with Russia. Despite calls for it to cut ties with Moscow following the invasion, New Delhi has maintained strong economic links to Russia and has maintained long-standing ties with the country.
Campbell declared India to be "probably the most important relationship for the United States to get right," bringing up the large Indian diaspora and the widespread wish for a stronger bond between India and America. Remembering that India is a major power is one of the trickiest things to do. It can think for itself and pursue its own interests. He went on to say that just because they aren't officially allies or partners with the US doesn't mean they can't maintain great connections as allied nations internationally
