Prime Minister Narendra Modi met President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on August 23. Upon arrival at Mariinsky Palace, PM Modi was received by President Zelenskyy.

This was the first ever visit by an Indian PM to Ukraine, since diplomatic relations were established between the two countries in the year 1992.

Highlights of the meeting:

• The two leaders discussed the whole gamut of bilateral ties and exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. 

• Modi invited Zelenskyy to visit India at a mutually convenient opportunity.

• Both leaders expressed mutual interest in working towards elevating bilateral relations from a Comprehensive Partnership to a Strategic Partnership in the future.

• Both countries discussed enhancement of cooperation in areas such as trade and commerce, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, defence, education, science & technology, and culture, apart from exploring a stronger partnership in domains such as digital public infrastructure, industry, manufacturing, green energy, etc, including through greater involvement of business and industry from both nations.

• India reiterated its principled position and focus on peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy, as a part of which, India has attended the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, held in Burgenstock, Switzerland, in June.

Zelenskyy proposed India among a handful of Global South countries for hosting the second Ukraine peace summit.

• Both sides agreed to hold the second meeting of the Indian-Ukrainian Joint Working Group on Military-Technical Cooperation, established under the 2012 Defence Cooperation Agreement, in the near future in India.

• The two leaders witnessed the signing of four agreements.

These include:

i) Agreement on Cooperation in the field of Agriculture and Food Industry.

ii) MoU on Cooperation in the field of Medical Products Regulation

iii) MoU on Indian Humanitarian Grant Assistance for Implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects

iv) Programme for Cultural Cooperation for 2024-2028.

India-Ukraine Bilateral Relations

• India recognised Ukraineʼs independence in December 1991, established diplomatic relations in January 1992, and opened an Embassy in Kyiv in May 1992. 

• India-Ukraine relations have steadily grown and expanded over the past more than three decades. 

• There is mutual and abiding interest in further deepening and expansion of bilateral relations, especially in the context of trade and commerce, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, defence, education, science and technology, and culture, apart from enhancing the interaction between the two sides at various levels.

• There have been three Presidential level visits from Ukraine to India — in 1992, 2002, and 2012. From India, Presidents Shankar Dayal Sharma and A.P.J. Abdul Kalam visited Ukraine in 1993 and 2005, respectively.

• In 2012, the joint statement on the establishment of the ‘Comprehensive Partnership’ between Ukraine and India was adopted.

• The Agreement on the establishment of the Indian-Ukrainian Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological, Industrial and Cultural Cooperation was signed in 1994. The IGC plays an important role in guiding cooperation between the two countries in many areas including through its Joint Working Groups.

• Defence cooperation is one of the strong pillars of bilateral relations and a promising area for future collaboration between Ukraine and India. Ukraine has been a source of military technology and equipment for India since its independence including for procurement of spares and equipment. A Defence Cooperation Agreement was signed between the two countries on December 12, 2012. 

• Bilateral trade between the two countries had grown steadily to reach  $3.386 billion in 2021-22. However, the bilateral trade declined in the last two years due to the challenges posed by the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

• The main items of export from Ukraine to India are vegetable oils, other cereals, coal, coke and briquettes, oil meals, pulses, etc. Major Indian exports to Ukraine include pharmaceuticals, miscellaneous processed items, auto tyres and tubes, coffee, products of iron and steel, etc.

• In value terms, India is the third largest exporter of pharmaceutical products to Ukraine, after Germany and France.

• Before the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022, Ukraine was a major destination for Indian students, particularly for those interested in studying medical stream. India accounted for the largest share of foreign students studying in Ukraine. 

• The government of India launched ‘Operation Ganga’ to evacuate the Indian citizens, who were stranded in Ukraine following the outbreak of the conflict in February 2022. In total, 90 flights were arranged to evacuate more than 18,000 Indian nationals and students.

Manorama Yearbook app is now available on Google Play Store and iOS App Store