Amid renewed global efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, Germany is urging India to leverage its relationship with Russia to push for peace negotiations. This appeal comes shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with President Vladimir Putin at a regional summit in China.

Johann David Wadephul, Germany's Foreign Minister, is currently visiting India and is scheduled to hold talks with his counterpart S Jaishankar. These discussions are expected to cover the Ukraine conflict and ways to strengthen trade ties between the two nations. Wadephul is also slated to meet with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal.

Germany and India have a strategic partnership built on mutual respect and shared values. Germany sees India as a key partner in addressing global challenges such as climate change, counterterrorism, and promoting a sustainable global economic order.

India's stance on the Russia-Ukraine war has been one of "studied public neutrality". While expressing discomfort with the conflict, New Delhi has abstained from UN Security Council votes condemning Russian aggression. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has clarified that India supports peace and believes that dialogue is the only way to resolve the conflict.

Despite India's neutral stance, Western countries understand India's military dependence on Russia. India has maintained a long-standing relationship with Russia, dating back to Indo-Soviet relations. This relationship is characterized by a "high degree of political and strategic trust".

However, India has also conveyed its message to President Putin that it backs dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the conflict and wants it to end at the earliest.

Germany, on the other hand, has expressed doubts about Russia's genuine interest in peace talks and is advocating for increased pressure on Russia, potentially through new EU sanctions.

The German government emphasizes the need for strong security guarantees in any potential peace agreement to prevent Russia from using the opportunity to regroup and pursue further aggression. Germany is working with European partners, the United States, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to achieve a successful resolution for Ukraine and European security.

Germany is also providing support to Ukraine by helping it to increase its own weapon production to strengthen its negotiating position in peace talks with Russia.

India and Germany maintain an ongoing dialogue in areas such as maritime security and counter-terrorism. Germany is India's largest trading partner in the EU. Both countries share an interest in upholding democratic values, the rules-based international order, and multilateralism.