After PM Modi, NSA Ajit Doval Lands in Russia as India Leads Ukraine Peace Efforts

Moscow: Ajit Doval, India's National Security Advisor (NSA), on Wednesday held a bilateral meeting with Sergei Shoigu, Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation for a bilateral meeting. This meeting occurred alongside the BRICS summit – (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa), as India leads peace talks for the Russia-Ukraine war. Highlighting the longstanding India-Russia ties, Doval said, "I belong to a generation which has seen the India-Soviet Union relationship right from the beginning."

Meanwhile, Shoigu told Doval that the country values that the Indian Prime Minster chose Russia for his first full-pledged foreign visit after winning a third term in the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections.

"We value that Russia was chosen to be the destination for Indian PM Narendra Modi ’s first full-fledged foreign visit following his election,” Shoigu told Doval.

The Russian counterpart further added, "We deeply value our special privileged strategic partnership with India. Our relations are characterised by mutual respect, consideration of each other's interests, and remain immune to political fluctuations."

According to sources, NSA Ajit Doval is carrying India’s peace plan proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is expected to be shared with President Putin.

Ajit Doval's visit to Moscow has come at a time when External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is in Berlin. The EAM has also said that Russia and Ukraine have to negotiate off the battlefield and India is willing to play a role.

"We don't think this conflict is going to be resolved on the battlefield. At some stage, there's going to be some negotiation. When there is a negotiation, the main parties - Russia and Ukraine - have to be at that negotiation," Jaishankar said.

"We don't think you're going to get a solution out of the battlefield. If you want advice, we are always willing to give it," he added.

Doval's visits Russia nearly 3 weeks after PM Modi met Zelenskyy  

Ajit Doval's visit to Russia comes two-and-half weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi 's high-profile trip to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.

Earlier, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, following her talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy , said India and China can play a role in finding a solution to the dragging conflict.

Russian President Vladimir Putin , speaking at a panel discussion at the Eastern Economic Forum in the Russian city of Vladivostok on Thursday, named India, Brazil and China as possible intermediaries that could play a role in resolving the conflict "First of all, it is the Chinese People's Republic, Brazil and India -- I am in contact with my partners and I have no doubt that the leaders of these countries, and we have relations of trust and confidence with one another, will be really interested and provide a helping hand," he said.