India Joins Ukraine Peace Summit in Switzerland A Day After PM Modi Called For Dialogue

New Delhi: World leaders have gathered Bürgenstock hotel above Lake Lucerne in central Switzerland to discuss the road map to attain peace in conflict-hit Ukraine. India has also decided to take part in the Ukraine Peace Summit beign held in Switzerland and has sent Pavan Kapoor, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs to participate in the discussions.

Earlier, India had said that it will participate in the upcoming peace summit on the Ukraine conflict at an "appropriate level". Switzerland had invited the Prime Minister himself for the summit being held in Burgenstock in Lucerne on June 15 and 16.

India's decision to send Kapoor comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi affirmed New Delhi's support to a peaceful solution to the Ukraine conflict. He made the commitment as he met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of G7 summit, which was held in Italy from June 13 to June 14. PM Modi told Zelenskyy that the way to peace is only through "dialogue and diplomacy".

The Prime Minister also told Zelenskyy that India believes in a "human-centric" approach. "Regarding the ongoing hostilities, reiterated that India believes in a human-centric approach and believes that the way to peace is through dialogue and diplomacy," PM Modi said. PM Modi had met Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the previous G7 summit in Hiroshima in May last year as well. India has been maintaining that the conflict in Ukraine must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.

All About Ukraine Peace Summit

The standoff over Ukraine is steeped in security for Europe — it is the continent's deadliest conflict since World War II — and big-power geopolitics. With more than 2 years into the war, the world leaders on Saturday gathered in Switzerland for the June conference.

The conference centers on three agenda items — seen as the least controversial bits of a 10-point peace “formula” laid out by Zelenskyy: Nuclear safety, including at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia power plant; possible prisoner of war exchanges; and global food security. The war has disrupted shipments of food and fertilizer through the Black Sea.

Ukraine Pushed For India's Presence

Republic in April reported that Switzerland has asked New Delhi to gauge its interest in taking part in the summit after Ukraine's push. When the Ukrainian President spoke with PM Modi in March, he not only thanked India for supporting Ukraine's sovereignty but also said that it will be important for Kyiv to see New Delhi attend the inaugural Peace Summit in Switzerland.

India has called for dialogue since the beginning of the war. While it has not supported any resolution against Russia, PM Modi did tell the Russian President that the era is not of war. Further, India has called for probe into the Bucha massacre. New Delhi has been constantly sending humanitarian assistance to conflict-hit Ukraine which includes -  medicines, medical equipment, blankets, tents and tarpaulin among others.

Why MEA Picked Pavan Kapoor

Pavan Kapoor, Secretary (West) in the MEA, has been picked to represent India at the Ukraine Peace Summit. Pavan Kapoor, an Indian Foreign Service officer of the 1990 batch, has served in different capacities in the Indian Missions in Kyiv, London, and Geneva.

Kapoor was appointed India’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation in November 2021. Kapoor was serving in Moscow when conflict began in February 2022. He played a crucial role ensuring continuation in ties between India and Russia and deals including military equipment and oil imports. His experiences in Moscow and a first hand witness of the conflict may come handy, giving India an edge during the summit.