Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented four BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita and Maitri) Cubes to the Ukrainian government on Friday, August 23, during his historic visit to the war-torn nation. This marks the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ukraine since its independence in 1991. The two leaders held a discussion on a wide range of issues, a large part of which was centred around the Russia-Ukraine war.
PM Visit To Ukraine
Why in news
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented four BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita and Maitri) Cubes to the Ukrainian government on Friday, August 23, during his historic visit to the war-torn nation. This marks the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ukraine since its independence in 1991. The two leaders held a discussion on a wide range of issues, a large part of which was centred around the Russia-Ukraine war.
- In the India-Ukraine joint statement, the Prime Minister thanked Zelenskyy for his warm welcome and also extended an invitation to visit India “at a mutually convenient opportunity”. India and Ukraine signed four agreements including in agriculture, medical products.
About The Visit
- PM Modi’s visit to Ukraine was the first by an Indian prime minister since diplomatic relations were established more than three decades back. The trip follows PM Modi’s July 8-9 visit to Moscow which drew criticism from the US and Zelenskyy as it coincided with a lethal Russian strike on a children’s hospital in Kyiv.
- Arriving in Kyiv on a special train from Poland, Modi was received by Ukraine’s First Deputy Prime Minister, underscoring the significance of the visit amidst the ongoing conflict with Russia.
- Modi presented four BHISHM Cubes to the Government of Ukraine, a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs.
- “Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri (BHISHM) is a unique effort which will ensure medical facilities in a rapidly deployable manner. It consists of cubes which contain medicines and equipment for medical care,” PM Modi said.
- Both sides agreed to ask the Indian-Ukrainian Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) to explore all possible ways to not only restore bilateral trade and economic relations to pre-conflict levels, but expand and deepen them further.
- There has been a significant reduction in the annual bilateral trade in goods since 2022 due to the challenges related to the ongoing conflict.
- PM Modi also apprised Mr Zelensky of his conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Samarkand in September 2022 and Moscow last month. “Some time back, when I met President Putin in Samarkand, I had told him that this was not the era of war. Last month when I went to Russia, I said in clear words that a solution to any problem is never found on the battlefield,” PM Modi said.
- PM Modi’s visit to Kyiv is seen in many quarters as a diplomatic balancing act as his trip to Russia triggered anguish among some Western countries. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said PM Modi reiterated the need for “practical engagement” between all stakeholders to develop an innovative solution that will help build broad acceptability and contribute towards peace and stability.
- Both sides called for a comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council to reflect contemporary global realities and to make it more representative, effective and efficient in dealing with issues of international peace and security. Ukraine reiterated its support for India’s permanent membership of a reformed and expanded UN Security Council.
Zelenskyy On Visiting India
- Ukrainian President said, “Yes (I have plans to visit India) because when you begin a partnership, strategic partnership, and you begin some dialogue, I think that you don’t need to lose time and do big pauses and that’s why I think it will be good to meet together again.”
- “And if our meeting will be in India, I’ll be happy to. I read a lot about your big and great country. It’s very interesting,” he added.
- “I don’t think that I will have enough time but anyway, it’s better to be in your country because to find the key to your country and your prime minister is to see your people. I need very much to find a key to your country because I very much need your country on our side… It’s not about your historical choice. But who knows? Maybe your country can be the key to this diplomatic influence,” he said.
- “That’s why I’ll be happy to come to India as soon as your government and prime minister are ready to see me,” Zelenskyy added. On directly engaging with India on the issue of trade, the President said that Ukraine is “ready to exchange”.
- “Yeah, we are ready (to directly engage with India and buy products made in India in the near future). I gave these all messages to your productions. As I said, we are ready to exchange…We are ready to buy. We are ready to produce. We are ready to open your companies here or we are ready to open our companies in India. So we are very ready for such dialogue and for such work…” he said.
