The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit is taking place this week in Kyrgyzstan, and in an awkward moment, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the summit.
And at that moment, Modi appeared to embarrass his Russian counterpart by calling for an end to the long war in Ukraine.
Putin Meeting with Modi in 2018 Creative Commons Image
According to The Daily Mail, Modi said as part of his remarks that “we need to move from an endless war to the end of the war,” and “Every day of war sets humanity back, whereas every step taken towards peace fills humanity with new hope and enthusiasm.”
The Indian leader also cited Mahatma Gandhi.
“A peaceful resolution to all issues at the earliest is the call of humanity, and this is India’s message,” Modi said. “The land of Gandhi and Buddha shares a single message: the path of peace.”
As Modi delivered his remarks, the account said Putin was “awkwardly looking down and away” from Modi.
At one point, the Mail account said Putin took off his translation earpiece and said, “Thank you very much, Mr Prime Minister. We are moving in that direction.”
What It Means
Politico.eu had more on the exchange at the summit in Kyrgyzstan, describing Putin as “visibly uncomfortable” while the Indian leader spoke. It also noted that Putin “tapped his feet” during Modi’s speech.
The story noted that while Modi pushed for Putin to end the war in Ukraine, India remains a major trading partner of Russia and a leading buyer of Russian oil, something that has even put India at odds with the United States.
India, of late, has also been providing gasoline to Russia, following Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries.
Modi, Politico said, did not threaten to end that trade relationship as leverage to get Russia to stop its war in Ukraine.
“Focus areas for Russia-India friendship remain energy, innovation, space, fertilizers and people-to-people linkages,” Modi said at the summit, per Politico.
Despite his pleas to end the war, Modi called the Russian president“my friend” and had his picture taken with him.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit took place over two days and marked its 25th anniversary.
Ten nations are part of the organization, including Russia, China, India, Iran, Belarus, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
The summit took place at the same time the G20 was meeting in North Carolina.
Putin is expected to attend the BRICS summit in India later this month, the Politico report said.
Will this Change Anything?
Modi’s public plea for Putin to end the war was a pretty rare plea from a world leader, especially in a public setting, and it was likely embarrassing for the Russian president.
But whether the plea leads to any change in Putin’s approach is a very different question.
In an analysis published Tuesday, the BBC examined that question.
It noted that at a summit in 2022, the first year of the war, Modi told Putin, “now is not the time for war,” so it doesn’t quite represent a policy shift for India.
The BBC also noted that India has considered itself “neutral” in the war, despite Western pleas to take a more pro-Ukraine stance.
“The stand hasn’t made many Western capitals happy, but they have continued to court Modi and India – it’s just too big and too fast-growing an economy to be ignored,” The BBC said. “In this context, Modi’s current statement cannot be seen as an attempt to please a third country.”
In addition, the statement likely did not surprise the Russian leader, the BBC authors said.
“There’s no sign of these public calls for peace changing Putin’s calculations,” they wrote. “All the evidence suggests that Russia’s leadership remains convinced it is on a path to military victory in Ukraine. “
Earlier this week, ahead of the summit, Bloomberg News wrote about how President Donald Trump, with his “erratic and at times adversarial trade and foreign policy,” has begun to test the “balancing act” India is trying to maintain with the U.S. and Russia.
A bill championed by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has passed the U.S. Senate and would give the president the power to impose tariffs on the largest importers of Russian oil, including India.
About the author: Stephen Silver
Stephen Silver is an award-winning journalist, essayist, and film critic, and contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review, and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. For over a decade, Stephen has authored thousands of articles that focus on politics, national security, technology, and the economy. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @StephenSilver, and subscribe to his Substack newsletter.
