Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Ukraine on Friday for talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the eve of Ukrainian Independence Day, and just over a month after Modi visited Moscow.

It is Modi's first visit to Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022, and the first visit by an Indian leader to Ukraine in around 30 years.

Officials in India and Ukraine have said the talks will center on economic ties, and increasing cooperation in defense and technology. 

However, Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine is likely to loom large. 

Russia's war looms in the background 

Despite criticism from Kyiv and its western allies, India maintained ties with Russiaafter  the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

While Modi has called for peace, he has also refused to directly hold the Kremlin responsible for the war. 

This was also illustrated during Modi's trip to Russia in July and his meeting with President Vladimir Putin, which coincided with Moscow's deadly attack on a Ukrainian children's hospital.

The Indian prime minister responded with a carefully worded comment.

"When innocent children are killed, the heart bleeds and that pain is very terrifying," Modi said at the time.

Before arriving in Kyiv, Modi said he was looking forward to discussing 

"perspectives on peaceful resolution of the ongoing Ukraine conflict."

"India has substantive and independent ties with both Russia and Ukraine and these partnerships stand on their own," Tanmaya Lal, Secretary (West) at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) told reporters during a media briefing on Monday.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy heavily criticized Modi's visit to Moscow, during which he was pictured embracing Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

"It is a huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the world's largest democracy hug the world's most bloody criminal in Moscow on such a day," Zelenskyy wrote online. 

India wants peace talks

Experts say that this visit is a balancing act for India, which also gives New Delhi a chance to urge peace negotiations.

 But Indian diplomacy has to maintain a difficult balance.

"Russia is a long-term traditional ally and Ukraine also has had very friendly relations with India. It is a difficult task to manage this, especially because Ukraine has received strong support from the West, with which India also has good relations," Rajiv Bhatia, former Indian ambassador, and a distinguished fellow at the Gateway House think tank, told DW.

"India wants to expand, consolidate and maintain its ties with Russia," he said, adding that New Delhi was not concerned that the Kyiv visit could jeopardize India's relations with Moscow.