Of peace, not war: Despite US allegation, India’s line on Russia-Ukraine conflict has been consistent

New Delhi: Controversy erupted on Sunday, August 3, 2025, after a top aide to US President Donald Trump accused India of effectively financing Russia's war in Ukraine by purchasing oil from Moscow. The accusation came after Trump himself took shots at India, pressuring it to stop buying oil from Russia.

"What he (Trump) said very clearly is that it is not acceptable for India to continue financing this war by purchasing the oil from Russia," said Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff at the White House. "People will be shocked to learn that India is basically tied with China in purchasing Russian oil. That's an astonishing fact," Miller told Fox News.

While Miller did note that Trump's relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been "tremendous”, his comments have caused a major uproar. 

Indian government sources told Reuters on Saturday that New Delhi will keep purchasing oil from Moscow despite threats from Trump. This comes after a 25 per cent tariff on Indian products went into effect on Friday as a result of its purchase of military equipment and energy from Russia. Trump has also threatened 100 per cent tariffs on US imports from countries that buy Russian oil, that is unless Moscow agrees to reach a significant peace deal with Ukraine.

While comments from Trump’s top aide accusing India of facilitating Russia’s war against Ukraine have caused a major uproar in international circles, India’s position on the Russia-Ukraine war has been consistent. While relations between Russia and India have historically been very strong, India has made it clear since the start of the conflict that it ultimately supports peace in the region and is against military escalations and loss of life. To conflate the two issues, of India’s trade with Russia and its position in the country’s war with Ukraine, is incorrect and untimely.

India’s line has been clear since the start and has been exemplarily articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After the re-election of US President Donald Trump and his efforts to bring about peace in the conflict, PM Modi was one of the first world leaders to welcome this step. PM Modi supported a peaceful resolution to the war, and again made it clear that India is not neutral, but rather it is on the side of peace. 

The Prime Minister emphasised that he has himself met leaders of both Russia and Ukraine and also pointed to his 'this is not an era of war' remark that he made in the presence of Russian President Putin. "I have always been in close contact with Russia and Ukraine. I have met the leaders of both countries. Many people are in a misconception that India is neutral, but I want to reiterate that India is not neutral; we are on a side, and that is peace," PM Modi said then, clearly articulating his efforts at bringing about peace in the unending conflict.

"I have said that 'this is not a time of war' in front of the media when President Putin was with me. Even today, my conviction is that the solutions to war cannot be found on the battlefield, and ultimately, we have to be at the table," PM Modi’s comments could not have been more clear. The Prime Minister has not just been vocal on the issue, but has also shown his commitment on the ground, being one of the few world leaders to visit both Russia and Ukraine, something he did in 2024 to great effect.

In 2024, during his visit to Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin himself acknowledged that both countries enjoyed a "special strategic partnership” and also praised his Indian counterpart for his sustained efforts to find a peaceful solution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated his commitment and said how peace is "of utmost importance” and a solution to the war in Ukraine "cannot be found on the battlefield”.

The same year, PM Modi also visited Ukraine’s capital Kyiv where he met with the country’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The landmark visit was the first visit to the country by an Indian prime minister since it gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. At the time of conflict, and with accusations against India of blatantly sliding with Russia, this visit was of huge symbolic significance. 

Zelenskyy embraced Modi before they started talks, termed by the Ukrainian President as "very friendly” and "historic”. PM Modi told Zelenskyy that the killing of children in conflict was unacceptable and added, "We have stayed away from the war with great conviction. This does not mean that we were indifferent.” He further said, "We were not neutral from day one, we have taken a side, and we stand firmly for peace.”

India’s commitment to bringing peace to the conflict has been well acknowledged, only this year, Putin himself thanked several world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for their "noble mission" to end the fighting between Ukraine and Russia. "We all have enough issues to deal with. But many heads of state, the president of the People's Republic of China, the Prime Minister of India, the presidents of Brazil and South African Republic are spending a lot of time dealing with this issue. We are thankful to all of them, because this is aimed at achieving a noble mission, a mission to stop hostilities and the loss of human lives," Putin said.

With such clear and major public denouncements of escalations in military action and calls for peace, to term India as a facilitator of Russia in its war against Ukraine is grossly inaccurate. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has been consistent in its articulation for global peace. Its trade and ‘strategic partnership’ with Russia go back decades and is independent of the country’s conflict with Ukraine and should be looked at as such.