BJP and the NDA alliance have done well in the just-held MLC elections in Maharashtra; where some Congress MLAs voted in favour Modi’s party defying their own party’s whip. Though BJP did not do expectedly well in the assembly by-elections held in some states its overall record remains good with Modi emerging stronger than before.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi getting a straight third term in office remains a huge achievement despite the fact that BJP failed to get a majority on its own in the Lok Sabha in the recent elections. Proving wrong sceptics, who had predicted problems for Modi because of allies like JD(U) and TDP, things have so far moved in the right direction for his government.
The good news for the BJP and the NDA alliance is that they have done well in the just-held MLC elections in Maharashtra where some Congress MLAs voted in favour Modi’s party defying their own party’s whip. Though BJP did not do expectedly well in the assembly by-elections held in some states its overall record remains good with Modi emerging stronger than before.
Right now he is not only focusing on further boosting India’s domestic economy but also making it a global power. Foreign policy has been one of the key elements defining Modi’s success and charisma. It has been a muscular foreign policy underscoring his ability to take crucial decisions, even going against the grain at times. He has never bowed down to pressure from any of the so-called big powers in the arena of foreign affairs.
His Russia visit, the first foreign trip he has undertaken after taking office for the third time, is an example of this. Aware that the visit would be keenly watched as Russia is still at war with Ukraine, Modi chose his words carefully while making statements. While greeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow warmly he did not mince words on the Ukraine issue. He told his interlocutor in no uncertain terms that solutions to peace are not be found on the battlefield.
Significantly, Modi landed in Moscow just hours after Russian bombing killed at least 41 people in Ukraine, including at a children’s hospital in Kyiv. The strikes sparked a global outcry. Indian Prime Minister’s two-day visit – his first to the Kremlin since 2019 – coincided with a Nato summit in Washington, where the 2022 invasion was a major theme. A key global economy India has close ties with both Russia and the US and there are bound to be questions over the timing of Modi’s trip. However, scheduling of the visit had nothing to do with the Nato summit.
The US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller had urged Modi to emphasise Ukraine’s territorial integrity during his talks in Moscow. “We would urge India, as we do any country when it engages with Russia, to make clear that any resolution to the conflict in Ukraine needs to be one that respects the UN charter, that respects Ukraine’s territorial integrity, Ukraine’s sovereignty,” he said at a press briefing.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky went further. “It is a huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the world’s largest democracy hug the world’s most bloody criminal in Moscow on such a day,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).
The Indian Prime Minister, who understands the importance of maintaining friendly ties with Russia, told President Putin that his country was ready to offer any assistance required in establishing peace in Ukraine as war was “not a solution”. Modi also said that death of children was painful and terrifying. “Whether it is war, conflict or a terrorist attack, any person who believes in humanity, is pained when there is loss of lives,” said Modi adding “but even in that, when innocent children are killed, the heart bleeds and that pain is very terrifying.” Modi ahas, thus, put the message across to Putin and also made it clear to global leaders that India can and will take its own decisions.
