Not the era of war: Putin, heed Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s words to Russian President Vladimir Putin at the SCO summit last week that “this is not the era of war” was India’s bold message, conveyed pithily. India’s is an important voice for both sides in this war — for Russia, and for Ukraine and the West — because it has maintained political neutrality and friendly contact with both sides over the last seven months, in line with its longstanding non-aligned foreign policy. It has played the balancing act deftly, refusing to condemn Russia openly while making known to Putin its disapproval of his war. In UN votes, it has abstained from resolutions that would alienate it from Russia but has voted against Moscow on human rights resolutions. This nuanced, principled and pragmatic approach made it possible for Modi to convey forthrightly to Russia India’s stand that the era of wars is over. China would do well to note the message, too. India’s voice has always been important in world councils as the moral voice of an ancient civilisation, a post-colonial State, the world’s largest democracy, and a non-aligned country. Now, it is important as the voice of a rising power, too.

Modi’s intervention came after a particularly severe setback suffered by the Russian military, when Ukraine recaptured territories in its north-east that Russia had taken. It has become clear in the last seven months that the Russian military under Putin’s long reign is not as strong a war machine as the world had been made to believe. The Russian army’s weaknesses have been exposed – it’s not well-trained and motivated, nor does it have superior logistics capability. Worse, Putin has failed to build a strong Russian economy and industry, beyond those of energy and military, and it cannot withstand Western sanctions for much longer.

So, Modi’s counsel, admonition even, came at a time when the whole world could see Putin’s failures, but it also opened up for Putin a chance to cut his losses and end the war. Putin, unfortunately, has chosen to do the opposite, announcing on Wednesday a partial Russian mobilisation and hardening his position with threats to the West. That could be real or mere posturing, but he would be foolish to escalate the war. Instead, he should grab the chance to get out of it. In making bold to advise Putin and in pointing out the world’s food, fuel and fertiliser crises as caused by Putin’s war, Prime Minister Modi spoke for the whole world, showing statesmanship and signalling that India is ready to play a bigger role on the world stage. Perhaps India can play peacemaker and host a Russia-Ukraine summit to work out an end to the war.