Narendra Modi is set to become the first Indian prime minister to visit Ukraine since its independence in 1991. However, it is his choice of transportation that could grab headlines as Modi will be making a 10-hour train journey on 'Rail Force One' from Poland to Kyiv.
US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz were some of the other prominent leaders who visited Ukraine by train since the invasion by Russia began. Modi is travelling to Ukraine on the invite of President Volodymyr Zelensky.
When Biden took the train in February 2023, the itinerary had been a close-kept secret. Reuters reported that Biden was flown overnight to the United States' Ramstein Air Base in Germany. The plane was refuelled and he flew on to Rzeszow in southeastern Poland. After a one-hour drive, he arrived in Przemysl, a city along the Poland-Ukraine border. He deboarded at the Kyiv-Pasazhyrsky station at roughly 8 a.m. local time. The area around the platform had been cleared for his arrival.
It is not sure if Modi's train ride will be just as eventful, but the diplomatic nature of the trip most certainly will be. The US and its Western allies had criticised Modi for his high-profile trip to Moscow just six weeks ago when President Vladimir Putin conferred upon him the prestigious 'Order of St Andrew the Apostle'.
India has yet to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine. "This visit will be an opportunity to build on the earlier discussions with him (Zelensky) and deepen the India-Ukraine friendship. We will also share perspectives on the peaceful resolution of the ongoing Ukraine conflict. As a friend and partner, we hope for an early return of peace and stability in the region," Modi posted on X, also called Twitter.
