Prime Minister Narendra Modi will speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin tonight amid the crisis in Ukraine, sources have said.
Russian military operations started against Ukraine this morning and the former Soviet republic has asked for India’s intervention.
Russia opened military operations against Ukraine this morning after months of tension over Ukraine’s proximity to NATO. Vladimir Putin has claimed that Ukraine is a puppet of the West and was never a proper state anyway.
Earlier today, Ukraine Envoy Igor Polikha sought India’s intervention, saying, “India is a very influential global player… We are asking for a strong voice of India”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, “is one of the most powerful, respected world leaders” and the “status of Modi-ji makes me hopeful that with Modi ji’s strong voice, Putin will think”.
India has already called for de-escalation of hostilities, saying unless it is checked, it can “spiral into a major crisis” that can severely destabilize the region.
“We express our deep concern over the developments, which if not handled carefully, may well undermine the peace and security of the region,” India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, TS Tirumurti has said.
This evening, the Prime Minister is hosting a meeting with his top ministers at his official residence to discuss the economic impact of the crisis and ways to mitigate the spin-off — rising crude oil prices.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh have already reached his residence. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and other officials will also attend the meeting.
Markets have been rattled by Russian military action in Ukraine today. The 30-share benchmark Sensex crashed over 2,700 points in line with global meltdown.
The government has also been trying to evacuate Indian citizens stranded in Ukraine. But this morning, special flights to Kyiv for the evacuation were cancelled as Ukraine closed its airspace.
India is now looking for alternative routes to evacuate its citizens form Ukraine after an Air India flight turned back or Delhi due to the closed Ukrainian airspace. The foreign ministry held high-level meetings to work out contingency plans and alternate evacuation routes, sources said.
More Russian-speaking officials have been sent to India’s embassy in Ukraine and are being deployed in countries neighbouring Ukraine, sources in the MEA said.
The Indian embassy has also issued a set of guidelines to students and others who live in the country. Kyiv was among the cities targeted by Russia.
The Indian embassy warned that citizens “traveling to Kyiv, including those traveling from western parts of Kyiv, are advised to return to their respective cities temporarily, especially towards safer places along the western bordering countries.”