India, Hungary attempt to balance global interests in evolving situation Prime Minister Narendra Modi's conversation with his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban last Wednesday has come at a time when both India and Hungary is seen to be balancing global interests that are fast evolving since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.
Prime Minister Modi has maintained telephonic contact with both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin while India abstained at the United Nations on several Russia-related resolutions. Mr Orban who is known for his anti-immigrant stance softened his position on the matter and warmly welcomed both Ukrainian and non-Ukrainian refugees and displaced persons.
Prime Minister Modi thanked Mr Orban for facilitating the passage of 6,000 Indian students from Ukraine and Mr Orban reciprocated by offering seats for the students in Hungarian colleges. However, it is understood that the conversation might have also included exchanges over some regional and global issues of mutual concerns.
Hungary which is a member of the NATO has maintained a cautious position on the Ukrainian crisis as despite being a NATO member, Budapest did not allow NATO to store weapons on Hungarian soil to target Russian interests. The phone call between the two leaders was also being regarded as one part of a broader network of strategic communications currently underway to deal with the evolving crisis.
Both Mr Modi and Mr Orban are nationalist figures of their respective countries and both are known to have "special relationship" with President Putin. In the fortnight long war, Mr Modi has spoken with Mr Putin thrice and Russia has made generous offers of assistance to India on multiple fronts like energy cooperation and with students. Mr Orban balanced his reluctance to partner West's anti-Putin coalition by following Mr Modi in urging for a cessation of violence between Ukraiine and Russia.
India's role in the peace-making among the European powers was referred to by Ukraine's Zelensky last Tuesday, but the role of Mr. Orban is of more immediate importance for the unfolding future of NATO in the context of the Ukrainian crisis. In a summit of the EU leaders at Versailles on Thursday, Mr Orban showed that apart from a differing perception of security, his country is also against imposition of sanctions on Russian oil and gas as that will hurt Hungary which imports most of its energy from Russia.
"Most of the oil and gas imports to Hungary come from Russia. 90% of Hungarians heat their homes with gas. Also the Hungarian economy will stop without oil and gas," said Mr Orban after the first day of the two-day summit in France. This announcement came days after the Hungarian government issued a decree saying that no weapons may be transferred from Hungary to Ukraine for attacking the Russian forces.
The carefully articulated nuances of Hungarian defence and energy policies show the rifts in NATO and the European Union that may widen if several countries including Germany are forced to take harder anti-Putin line. The conversation between Mr Modi and Mr Orban — with similar mix of interests — has established a channel that is expected to broaden in the coming months. Mr Orban has not visited India since Mr Modi became PM in 2014.
His last India visit was in 2013 towards the fag end of the UPA II government. In recent months, Mr Modi has reached out to several leaders in Eastern Europe and his conversations with Mr Zelensky and Mr Orban indicate to a closer knit network of communication that may help reduce international tension and open new avenues of cooperation with bigger players like the United States and Russia.
