India’s Mediating Role in Russia-Ukraine Conflict

• National Security Adviser Ajit Doval’s visit to Russia has potential bilateral and geopolitical implications.
• Doval held one-on-one meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
• The meeting was ahead of the BRICS summit in October, which will bring together Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and leaders of Brazil, South Africa, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, and Ethiopia.
• The meeting was significant as it came after intensified India-China contact to resolve the four-year-old military standoff at the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
• External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s comment that 75% of the disengagement has been completed indicates India’s determination to cease hostilities with China.
• Doval’s meeting with Putin, a rare protocol exception, could indicate India’s more mediatory role in peacemaking.
• Mediating will require India to expend considerable goodwill, time, and patience.
• The conflict is far from stable with signs of an escalation, including Ukraine’s invasion of Kursk, Russian missile strikes, and Mr. Zelenskyy’s persistent demand for long-range strikes on Russia.
• India’s efforts at peacemaking must not be over-burdened by unrealistic expectations.