United Nations — India has reiterated its concern over the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, emphasizing that innocent lives must not be lost and that a solution cannot be found on the battlefield. Speaking at a United Nations General Assembly debate on the situation in Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, highlighted the wider global impact of the war—particularly on developing nations.
“India continues to remain concerned over the situation in Ukraine. We maintain that the loss of innocent lives is unacceptable, and no solution can be found on the battlefield,” Harish told the Assembly on Thursday.
Harish voiced regret over the “collateral consequences” of the war, including surging fuel prices, which he said have disproportionately affected countries of the Global South. “These nations have been left to fend for themselves. From our perspective, it is critical that their voices are heard, and their legitimate concerns duly addressed,” he said.
The ambassador underscored that diplomacy and dialogue remain the only viable path to lasting peace, welcoming recent positive developments on the global stage aimed at resolving the conflict.
In particular, India expressed support for the recent summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, describing it as a meaningful step. “We also note the subsequent diplomatic efforts by the US President in engaging with the Ukrainian President and European leaders in Washington,” Harish said. “We believe all these diplomatic efforts hold the promise of bringing to an end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and opening up prospects for a lasting peace.”
Just days after the Alaska summit, President Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and seven European leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, in a high-level meeting at the White House. India acknowledged this as another significant move toward ending hostilities.
Ambassador Harish also highlighted the personal involvement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in supporting peace efforts, stating that Modi remains in regular contact with both Russian President Putin and Ukrainian President Zelensky. “An early end to the Ukraine conflict is in everyone’s interest,” he said, referring to Modi’s often-quoted message that “this is not an era of war.”
Just hours before India’s UN statement, Modi spoke with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa. “Exchanged views on issues of mutual interest and efforts for bringing an early end to the conflict in Ukraine,” Modi posted on X (formerly Twitter).
India’s diplomatic outreach continued on Thursday with a call between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. The two discussed the ongoing war and bilateral cooperation. “India supports an early end to this conflict and the establishment of an enduring peace,” Jaishankar said.
Foreign Minister Sybiha said he updated Jaishankar on the battlefield situation and Ukraine’s efforts toward achieving a just peace. “We rely on India’s authoritative voice and active role in supporting the full cessation of hostilities and broader international peace efforts,” he noted, adding that the two ministers would meet during the upcoming UNGA high-level week.
Modi and Putin also met earlier this week on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China, where they discussed regional and global issues, including the Ukraine war.
India’s stance on the Ukraine conflict has remained consistent, with a focus on diplomacy, dialogue, and humanitarian support. Ambassador Harish reiterated that India’s approach is “people-centric,” noting that New Delhi continues to provide humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and economic support to affected countries in the Global South.
“India has always maintained that dialogue and diplomacy are the only way forward to end the conflict—no matter how insurmountable such a course may appear,” Harish concluded.
