Modi holds talks with Macron, Meloni on Ukraine peace and EU trade

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held separate phone conversations this week with French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to review bilateral ties and press for an early, peaceful resolution to the war in Ukraine, officials said. The calls, part of a broader diplomatic push as India deepens engagement with European partners, also covered trade, connectivity and security cooperation.

In his call with President Macron, Modi "reviewed and positively assessed the progress in bilateral cooperation in various areas" and exchanged views on international and regional issues, including efforts to bring an early end to the conflict in Ukraine, the prime minister wrote on X. New Delhi described the India France Strategic Partnership as continuing to play a key role in fostering global peace and stability. The conversation came days after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen spoke with Modi about India's role in pressing Russia to halt the war.

Modi has maintained contact with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, urging dialogue and diplomacy to end the conflict, officials said. Macron was among...