NSA Doval briefs Putin on Modi-Zelensky talks, meets Chinese FM Wang Yi

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval briefed Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday on Prime Miner Narendra Modi’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last month against the backdrop of a fresh push for peace talks to end the Ukraine conflict. New Delhi: National Security Advisor Ajit Doval during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Konstantinovsky Palace, in St. Petersburg, Russia. The meeting took place on the margins of a conclave of national security advisors of the BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) nations in St Petersburg. (PTI Photo) (PTI) Doval, who was in the Russian city of St Petersburg for a meeting of senior security officials of the Brics grouping, held a separate meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during which the two sides agreed to “redouble their efforts” for complete disengagement at remaining friction points on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). While both meetings were crucial, much of the focus was on Doval’s talks with the Russian leadership, given recent comments Putin and Italian Prime Miner Giorgia Meloni that India and China can play a role in taking forward efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Doval also held a separate meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu. Footage beamed Russia’s state-run media showed Doval telling Putin that he had come to Russia at the direction of Modi. Referring to a recent phone conversation between the Russian president and the Indian prime miner, Doval said, “He (Modi) was keen to brief you about his visit to Ukraine and his meeting with President Zelensky. “And he wanted me to come specially and personally and brief you on the talks. The talks were in a closed format; it was only the two leaders. He had two people with him, and I happened to be with the prime miner. So, I witnessed that… conversation.” Doval was part of the delegation that accompanied Modi on his visit to Russia in July and to Ukraine in August and has been closely involved in discussions with both sides on ways to end hostilities and return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy. At his meeting with Putin in July, Modi said a solution couldn’t be found on the battlefield and talks can’t succeed under the shadow of the gun. Modi subsequently told Zelensky that a solution to the conflict in Ukraine can’t be found without engaging Russia. Putin made no reference to Ukraine in the footage of his meeting with Doval but said Russia is expecting Modi to visit Kazan for the Brics Summit in October. “I also suggest holding a bilateral meeting there on October 22 in order to close the books on our joint work in implementing the agreements reached during his visit to Moscow and outline some prospects for the near future,” Putin said, speaking in Russian. Modi’s visit to Russia was “highly successful” and “subsequent work is progressing very effectively”, Putin said. “Security issues have always been, and continue to be, among our top priorities,” he added. A post on X the Indian embassy only said Doval met Putin on Modi’s directions and discussed issues of mutual interest in the spirit of the bilateral special and privileged strategic partnership but didn’t give details. Doval’s meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, who also holds the post of foreign miner, understandably focused on the military standoff on the LAC that began in April-May 2020 and has taken bilateral relations to a six-decade low. Their talks came close on the heels of two meetings of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India–China border affairs and two meetings between external affairs miner S Jaishankar and Wang on the sidelines of multilateral gatherings in July. The external affairs minry said in a readout that the meeting between Doval and Wang was an opportunity for the two sides to review recent efforts towards finding an “early resolution of the remaining issues” along the LAC, which will “create conditions to stabilise and rebuild bilateral relations”. “Both sides agreed to work with urgency and redouble their efforts to realise complete disengagement in the remaining areas [of the LAC],” the readout said. India and China have so far pulled back frontline troops from both banks of Pangong Lake, Gogra and Hot Spring but have been unable to resolve their difference on “friction points” at Depsang and Demchok even after dozens of rounds of diplomatic and military talks. Doval told Wang that peace and tranquillity in the border areas and respect for the LAC are “essential for normalcy in bilateral relations”. He said, “Both sides must fully abide relevant bilateral agreements, protocols, and understandings reached in the past the two governments.” The two sides agreed the India-China relationship is significant not just for the two countries but for the region and the world, the readout said. The two sides also exchanged views on the global and regional situation. The talks between Doval and Wang could also prepare the grounds for a possible meeting between Modi and President Xi Jinping on the margins of the Brics Summit to be held in Kazan in October, people familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity. “The coming weeks will be essential in deciding on whether there will be a meeting between the top leadership of India and China in Kazan,” one of the people said.