India on Tuesday advocated direct engagement between Russia and Ukraine, reflecting New Delhi’s stance that peace talks without the involvement of both parties are ineffective.

Briefing reporters in Kazan on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bilateral engagement with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Brics summit, foreign secretary Vikram Misri said India stressed the “need for direct engagement between the two parties most directly involved in the conflict”.

Although India participated in the first summit on peace in Ukraine hosted by Switzerland in June, it chose not to sign the joint communiqué, emphasising that any peace options must be acceptable to both sides. Since Russia was excluded from that summit, India has been pushing for its involvement in future discussions.

According to Misri, there was a considerable amount of discussion at the bilateral meeting on the Russia-Ukraine conflict since Modi has recently had back-to-back meetings with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in their respective capitals.

Misri also indicated that India is suggesting that alternative approaches be explored to find a peaceful path to end the conflict. Stating that India was in touch with key interlocutors, he said New Delhi is also looking for alternate approaches that may not be currently on the table or being examined by the two parties.

The two sides also discussed the issue of Indians stuck in the Russian army. The early discharge of the remaining Indian nationals in the Russian army was brought up by both sides, Misri said. He added that several of them had been able to return to India with Russia’s help. “We understand that currently the embassy is pursuing around 20 cases with the Russian side and we are very much hopeful that all of these individuals can be released at an early date and repatriated to India very soon.”

Modi also met the newly elected Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian, in Kazan. Besides stressing on the need for seamless connectivity in the region, the two leaders discussed the West Asia situation. Modi iterated India’s call for protection of civilians and emphasised the need for dialogue and diplomacy to deescalate tensions. According to Misri, the Iranian President echoed the need for easing tensions and underscored the role India can play in this given New Delhi’s links to all parties to the conflict.