Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has publicly urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine, telling him to move towards "an end of war" rather than continued conflict. The appeal, made on Monday, is not a shift in Delhi's stance but reflects India's long-standing policy of strategic autonomy and its deep, decades-old ties with Moscow, which remains a major supplier of both discounted oil and defence equipment to India. Despite Western pressure on Delhi to condemn Russia more forcefully, India has consistently favoured neutrality and dialogue over taking sides, and analysts say Modi's remarks are unlikely to unsettle relations with the Kremlin or come as a surprise to Putin.

Putin's response was polite but non-committal, thanking Modi and saying Russia was "moving forward along this path" towards peace, without indicating any change in approach. Modi has made similar appeals before, including telling Putin in 2022 that "now is not the time for war", and other leaders such as Kazakhstan's president have made comparable calls in recent weeks with no visible effect. More than four and a half years into the invasion, Russia's leadership appears to believe it remains on course for military victory, even as Ukraine continues to strike back, including with long-range drone attacks on Russian oil infrastructure.