‘Endless war’ to ‘end of war’: PM Modi delivers strong peace message to Putin

At the SCO Summit, PM Modi delivered a strong peace message to Putin and said India supports all peaceful efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict

PGurus Newsdesk

September 1, 2026

PM Modi and Vladimir Putin meet in Bishkek as India reiterates its call for peace and a diplomatic resolution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict

PM Modi reaffirmed India’s support for peaceful efforts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict and urged a shift from prolonged hostilities towards lasting peace

Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a strong message on peace and diplomacy during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, urging the world to move from “endless war” towards an “end of war”.

PM Modi said India supports all peaceful efforts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict and reiterated New Delhi’s longstanding position that disputes must be addressed through dialogue and diplomacy.

Modi calls for end to Ukraine war

Speaking during a joint statement with Putin, Modi said, “We have to move from a situation of ‘endless war’ to ‘end of war’,” stressing that humanity wants the conflict to end as soon as possible.

He said every additional day of war pushes humanity backwards and called for greater efforts to establish peace in the region.

India, he added, advocates resolving problems peacefully because such an approach is necessary for the larger interests of humanity.

India backs peaceful efforts

Modi reiterated that India would continue supporting initiatives aimed at finding a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict.

Breaking:
Indian PM Modi to Russian President Putin on Ukraine conflict
“We must move from ‘endless war’ to ‘end of war’ for the benefit of humanity”
“The message of Bharat, the land of Gandhi, land of Buddha is peace..”
From Bishkek: pic.twitter.com/PuGeBmSx7b
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) August 31, 2026

The Prime Minister said India has consistently maintained that dialogue and diplomacy are the way forward, a position he has conveyed during conversations with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

His latest remarks reinforce the position he first articulated prominently during his 2022 meeting with Putin, when he told the Russian leader that “this is not an era of war” and emphasised the importance of diplomacy.

‘Land of Buddha and Gandhi’

Modi linked India’s position on the conflict to the country’s philosophical traditions, saying the land of Buddha and Gandhi carries a message of peace.

He stressed that India wants a permanent end to hostilities and believes countries should work together to confront challenges that threaten humanity rather than remain locked in prolonged conflicts.

The Prime Minister’s latest message represents one of New Delhi’s clearest public calls for an end to the Ukraine war while maintaining its strategic relationship with Moscow.

Putin briefs Modi on Ukraine

The meeting also provided an opportunity for Putin to brief Modi on the latest developments in the Ukraine conflict.

According to Reuters, Putin acknowledged Modi’s perspective on the war and said Russia was moving towards peace, although Moscow continues to maintain its own conditions for ending the conflict.

India-Russia ties remain strong

Despite differences over the Ukraine conflict, India and Russia continue to maintain close strategic and economic relations.

Energy cooperation, particularly India’s purchases of Russian oil, remains an important component of the relationship. Modi has also highlighted the growing economic partnership between the two countries.

The Modi-Putin meeting comes shortly before Putin’s expected visit to New Delhi for the BRICS Summit, adding significance to the discussions between the two leaders.

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