Rajkot

Ukraine’s Ambassador to India, Dr Oleksandr Polishchuk, on Sunday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, saying he is playing a significant global role in efforts to establish peace, including in Ukraine.

Addressing the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC) for the Kutch and Saurashtra region here, Polishchuk said Prime Minister Modi’s political journey reflects a transition from regional leadership to global statesmanship.

“It is a great example of how from being a regional leader, you became a national leader and are now playing a global role, including in my country, to establish peace,” the envoy said.

Polishchuk, who holds the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to India, noted that Modi was among the few leaders from the Global South to visit Ukraine in 2024 amid the ongoing war with Russia.

He expressed confidence that a sustainable and just peace in Ukraine would further strengthen bilateral ties, including economic engagement with Gujarat.

“We believe that the achievement of lasting peace will contribute to deepening relations between India and Ukraine. We hope India’s continued support to international peace efforts will create a stable foundation for long-term economic cooperation and development,” he said.

The ambassador noted that Ukraine has been a partner country at the Vibrant Gujarat forum since 2023, describing the association as a strategic opportunity to expand economic cooperation.

He said Ukrainian companies are actively engaging with Indian counterparts across sectors such as industry, education, agriculture, engineering, information technology, energy and logistics.

Highlighting existing trade ties, Polishchuk said India and Ukraine have longstanding cooperation in areas such as sunflower oil, grains and pharmaceuticals.

“We invite Indian companies to participate in the upcoming Ukraine Recovery Conference to be hosted this year. We also see strong potential to expand industrial and technological cooperation in the defence sector under the ‘Make in India’ framework,” he said.

Speaking to PTI on the sidelines of the event, the ambassador said Ukraine is keen on Indian participation in post-war reconstruction and renovation efforts.

He added that both countries are working towards elevating their ties to a strategic partnership.

At the event, Rwanda’s High Commissioner to India, Jacqueline Mukangira, said India and Rwanda share strong bilateral relations, with India being Rwanda’s second-largest foreign investor and trading partner.

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She invited Indian businesses to invest in Rwanda across sectors including manufacturing, infrastructure, real estate, agriculture, mining, agro-processing, cyber security, tourism, healthcare and education.