New Delhi:  Emine Dzhaparova, the first deputy foreign minister of Ukraine, praised India's leadership in the international arena on Monday and asserted that backing Kyiv is the "only right choice" for a true global leader.

The first Ukrainian minister to travel to India since the Russian invasion started in February of last year is Dzhaparova, who is there for four days.

When it comes to the ongoing conflict in Europe, India has attempted to strike a delicate balance between not upsetting Russia, upholding its developing relations with the West, and sending humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

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India aspires to be the Vishwaguru, the world's teacher and judge, today. We have a very clear picture of the situation in our case: aggressor against innocent victim. The only appropriate response for a true Vishwaguru is to support Ukraine, Dzhaparova tweeted on Monday, using the Hindi word for "world leader."

After speaking with Sanjay Verma, a secretary at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, in New Delhi, Dzhaparova told reporters that Ukraine hopes for a more intense political dialogue with India.

The question of India's participation as a global south leader and as the G20 presidency was raised, according to Dzhaparova. "I think that we hope that India would be engaged and involved in global issues and challenges — economic challenges, energy challenges, nuclear challenges, to a great extent because (the) Ukrainian issue is a litmus paper today," the author said.

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With Dzhaparova's visit, India is once again in the spotlight as a potential negotiator in the ongoing conflict, which, according to UN figures released in March, has resulted in more than 8,200 fatalities and over 13,700 injuries.

This visit is significant because, in my opinion, India is still one of the few nations that has managed to maintain ties with both sides of the conflict, according to Harsh V. Pant, director of strategic studies at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi.

India may be more dependable for Ukraine than China, which is widely believed to be on Russia's side for obvious reasons, he said. Therefore, given India's relations with Russia, perhaps this is the right time for Ukraine to state its position on the issue and urge India to take further action on the India-Ukraine issue.

India's potential to broker peace is still on the table more than a year after the war broke out, according to Prof. Ummu Salma Bawa of the Centre for European Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi.

India can provide the essential infrastructure for Ukraine's redevelopment as well as other contributions and diplomatic support. India and Russia have cordial relations, and Bawa told Arab News that "any channel that can open the possibility to bring peace will be explored."

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India's influence on the world stage is acknowledged by Ukraine, she said, in part due to its G20 presidency this year and its interactions with both the West and Russia.

Ukraine is eager to see the war end, she continued, one year after it began. "It is also crucial for Ukraine to engage with nations like India that enjoy positive bilateral relations."