Long accused by the West of staying neutral vis-a-vis the Russia-Ukraine war, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought to set the record straight during his recent visit to Kyiv. “From Day 1, India has taken sides. And we have sided with peace,” was his response. That followed the oft-spoken Modi message that this is not the era of war. And a key cog in the whole scheme of things is NSA Ajit Doval.
As India makes moves geared towards bringing peace between the warring parties, author and strategic thinker MJ Akbar says that’s the right way forward. “Under Prime Minister Modi, India has found its way again. India is a voice that is heard. Everyone may not agree with us but it is a voice heard with respect across binaries,” he told StratNews Global.
Wars Have No Geography
The Ukraine war shouldn’t just be looked at from the perspective of Russia and Ukraine, says Akbar. “How far is Ukraine from the Caucasus? 200 km. Where is the North Caucasus, the South Caucasus? And from there, how far is Syria? How far is Syria from the Houthis? And just in case, there was not sufficient awareness, the Indian Navy is operating there. So the war has already come to our shores.”
An important international voice like Prime Minister Modi will do his best in order to minimise, if not eliminate, war as an option, argues Akbar. Therefore, the initiative being taken by the Prime Minister is an important one. Whether it would succeed or not is perhaps less important than the effort that is being made, he says.
India’s Approach
According to Akbar, the prime minister has credibility at both ends because India has nothing but the desire for peace. India is not a member of NATO, that it has a vested interest in success, a victory for either side.
“So India would seek a rational denouement. No more. India would seek a reasoned and acceptable, perhaps compromise, on both sides. Certainly, India would seek a solution that most important of everything else is sustainable. Peace that is not sustainable is more dangerous than war.”
Is The U.S. Game?
I do not think Americans would happily accept India’s role, feels Akbar. But he makes a distinction between the American President and the American State, the latter having the last word. While American presidents obviously have a great impact on policy, the American state has its own dynamics.
“Whoever becomes President will have to respond to the needs of the American state. The absence of presence of a President is perhaps less important than people imagine it to be. I think if the American state now feels that it has exhausted the ability to confront Moscow, confront even Putin, it will have to find some point at which a ceasefire begins to become a visible and evident reality.”
The Role Of Ajit Doval
Last week NSA Ajit Doval met Russian President Vladimir Putin and briefed him about the talks between PM Modi and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. PM Modi wanted me to come and personally brief you about the talks, Doval told Putin.
“The NSA has one tremendous advantage. He has the confidence of a mature person who can keep quiet. Therefore, the Prime Minister can trust him. The country can trust him. I think he’s among the people who have earned the highest respect possible for a person who is a servant of the state,” says Akbar.
He gives credit to the NSA’s earlier talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi for the disengagement in some areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh.
“The Prime Minister is using the most nimble mind in his establishment, which is the NSA. The pace of activity and the ability to play chess with both hands and a clear mind with a very clear understanding of objectives is something that NSA Ajit Doval provides him with that tremendous asset,” says Akbar.
