Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated India's commitment to long-term peace in the region in an address to the Indian community in Warsaw, Poland, prior to his journey to Ukraine.
PM Modi reaffirmed his belief that "this is not an era of war" and urged cooperation in addressing the most critical problems affecting humanity.
"India is the land of Lord Buddha's legacy. Therefore, India does not believe in war and advocates for peace in this region,” PM Modi said.
“India is an advocate of permanent peace in this region. India's concept is clear: this is not an era of war, and it is the time to unite to tackle the biggest challenges of humanity. Thus, India believes in dialogue and diplomacy to resolve conflict," he added.
At President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's request, the prime minister traveled to Kyiv for the first time since Ukraine gained its independence in 1991.
PM Modi said that he intended to discuss with the Ukrainian leader his views on a peaceful end to the current situation. This visit takes place about six weeks after his well-publicized trip to Moscow, which the US and a few of its partners in the West criticized.
Prime Minister Modi emphasized India's transition from keeping a safe distance from any country to promoting equal ties with every country. He said that by emphasizing growth and taking into account everyone's interests, modern India aims to establish connections with everyone.
"For decades, India had a policy to maintain distance from all the countries. However, the policy of today's India is to have equal closeness with all countries. The India of today wants to connect with all. Today's India talks about the development of all. Today's India is with all and thinks about the interests of all," he said.
The Indian community has earned praise for the nation via its acts, efforts, and empathy, said the Prime Minister.
He gave instances of how India has provided humanitarian aid in times of need, like supplying vaccines and medications to more than 150 countries during the COVID-19 epidemic and aiding Indian students who were stranded in Ukraine when hostilities broke out in 2022.
Along with praising India's democratic system, PM Modi highlighted the recent elections' effective administration and high voter turnout. He remarked that the Indian community plays a crucial role in maintaining the world's respect for India as "Vishwabandhu" and expressed pride in this regard.
During the speech, PM Modi spoke about the historical connections between Poland and India, especially the tale of Jam Saheb of Nawanagar, Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja, who is still revered in Poland as the "Good Maharaja" for having taken refuge for Polish women and children during World War II.
PM Modi announced the establishment of the Jam Saheb Memorial Youth Exchange program, which would invite 20 Polish teenagers to visit India each year, in an effort to further strengthen relations between the two countries.
