Expresses concern over recruitment of Indian citizens to fight on Ukrainian territory
9 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during a meeting in Moscow, stressing that a solution to the conflict “cannot be found on the battlefield.”
The Indian president, who is visiting Russia, has stressed the importance of stopping the clashes and returning to the negotiating table. “India has always supported respect for the UN Charter, which includes issues of territorial integrity and sovereignty. There is no solution on the ground. Dialogue and diplomacy are the way forward,” he said during a meeting with Putin.
In this regard, he expressed his concern about the recruitment of Indian citizens, who are being recruited by “unscrupulous agents” to join the Russian ranks. However, sources close to the matter have indicated that Putin has promised to ensure that all of them are repatriated as soon as possible, as reported by the Indian television channel NDTV.
An estimated 20 Indian nationals have been forced to fight in the invasion of Ukraine after being lured by agents under the pretext of getting well-paid work.
This is Modi’s first visit to the country since the war began more than two years ago and after his return to office for a third term. India has sought to distance itself from explicit criticism of Moscow and has abstained from voting on resolutions against Russia at the UN.
Putin, for his part, congratulated Modi on his victory in the April elections and pointed out that this shows his great “effectiveness” in advancing the interests of the Asian country. “The results speak for themselves: India is now the third country in the world in economic terms,” he said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also declined to comment on the situation of Indian citizens recruited as part of what Russia calls a “special military operation” and said the meeting between Putin and Modi lasted approximately three hours.
“It was a very significant conversation,” he said, according to the Russian news agency Interfax. He also confirmed that a large delegation will accompany them during the meetings scheduled for today.
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