Calling India a rare voice Moscow listens to, Poland has credited Prime Minister Modi with helping prevent a dangerous escalation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict
Prime Minister Narendra Modi played a pivotal role in preventing Russia from using tactical nuclear weapons against Ukraine in 2022, according to a striking claim made by Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Władysław Teofil Bartoszewski during his visit to India.
Speaking at an interaction in New Delhi, Bartoszewski said Russian President Vladimir Putin pays close attention to Prime Minister Modi’s views, making India one of the few countries with the diplomatic influence to engage Moscow during moments of heightened global tension.
The Polish minister alleged that when Russia was considering the use of tactical nuclear weapons in the later stages of 2022, Prime Minister Modi’s intervention helped dissuade President Putin from taking such a step. While he did not provide further details or evidence to support the assertion, he described India’s diplomatic outreach as instrumental in preventing the conflict from escalating into a nuclear confrontation.
Bartoszewski also praised India’s balanced foreign policy, noting that despite maintaining close ties with Russia, New Delhi has consistently advocated dialogue, diplomacy and a peaceful resolution to the conflict. According to him, India’s unique relationship with Moscow has enabled it to play a constructive role that few other countries could.
Prime Minister Modi has repeatedly urged an end to the war, famously telling President Putin in 2022 that “today’s era is not of war” during a bilateral meeting in Uzbekistan. That remark later became one of the defining diplomatic messages associated with India’s position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The Polish minister’s comments come at a time when India continues to maintain strategic relations with both Russia and Western nations while positioning itself as a responsible global stakeholder committed to peace and stability. However, the claim regarding Modi’s role in averting a potential Russian nuclear strike has not been independently verified by Russian authorities or other governments.
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