New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is visiting Ukraine and Poland from September 3 to 5 as India continues to strengthen ties with European partners while maintaining its strategic relationship with Russia.
During the visit, Jaishankar is scheduled to hold bilateral consultations with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski. The discussions will focus on bilateral relations, regional developments and issues of mutual interest.
The visit comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on August 31 on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.
During the meeting, Modi said India supports peace efforts and called for a move from an endless war towards an end to the war and a cessation of hostilities. He also stressed the importance of dialogue and diplomacy in resolving conflicts.
The timing of Jaishankar's visit highlights India's effort to maintain diplomatic engagement with different sides of the Russia Ukraine conflict. New Delhi continues to have close relations with Moscow while also developing stronger ties with Ukraine and European countries.
There is no indication that the visit represents a major change in India's relationship with Russia. India continues cooperation with Moscow in areas including energy, trade and other strategic sectors. At the same time, New Delhi has maintained that dialogue and diplomacy are important for resolving the Ukraine conflict.
Ukraine has also shown interest in India's possible role in efforts to end the war. Sergiy Kyslytsya, the first deputy head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, recently met India's Ambassador to Ukraine, Anjani Kumar. Their discussions included bilateral relations and India's role in efforts to end Russia's war against Ukraine.
However, there is no confirmed indication that India has taken on a formal mediation role between Russia and Ukraine. The official purpose of Jaishankar's visit is broader and includes bilateral relations and regional developments.
The visit also comes after a deadly Russian attack on Ukraine.
On September 1, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said an Indian citizen was among 12 people killed in Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine. The attacks hit Kyiv and the surrounding region, as well as several other parts of the country, damaging residential buildings and civilian infrastructure.
The Indian embassy in Kyiv said it was in contact with the family and was assisting with the repatriation of the remains.
The safety of Indian seafarers and commercial shipping in the Black Sea is another concern for New Delhi. Modi and Putin discussed the Black Sea region during their August 31 meeting, including its impact on maritime trade and the safety and security of Indian seafarers.
Jaishankar's visit to Poland adds another important part to India's European diplomacy. India and Poland upgraded their relationship to a strategic partnership in 2024 during Modi's visit to Warsaw.
Since then, the two countries have worked to expand cooperation in areas including trade, security, technology and political relations. Poland has also been closely involved in European discussions on the security consequences of Russia's war against Ukraine.
Jaishankar's talks in Warsaw are therefore expected to provide an opportunity for India and Poland to discuss their bilateral relationship as well as wider regional and international developments.
The visit is also significant because of the continuing high level engagement between India and Russia. Modi and Putin are expected to meet again when the Russian president visits India for the 18th BRICS Summit on September 12 and 13.
The sequence of events shows the breadth of India's current diplomatic approach. Modi has continued direct engagement with Putin, while Jaishankar is now travelling to Ukraine and Poland for talks with senior European partners.
For New Delhi, maintaining relations with Russia remains important, while ties with Ukraine and Europe have also gained greater importance as the war continues.
Jaishankar's visit is therefore unlikely to signal a major shift in India's Russia policy. Instead, it reflects India's continuing effort to expand its engagement with Ukraine and Europe, protect its wider interests and keep diplomatic channels open while supporting dialogue and efforts towards an end to the war.