India lowers level of representation at 9 May parade in Moscow

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will not attend the 9 May Victory Day parade in Moscow. His deputy, Sanjay Seth, is expected to represent India instead.

Source: The Hindu newspaper, citing official sources in the Indian government

Details: The decision comes amid growing tensions with Pakistan following the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam.

Quote: "Russia had invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Victory Day parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Germany in the Second World War, but it was decided that Singh would attend the event."

Background:

• Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić had announced that he would go to Russia on 9 May because he had given Putin his word, but on 3 May, it was reported that he had been admitted to a military hospital due to health problems.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine could not guarantee the safety of other countries’ representatives during their planned visits to Moscow for the 9 May parade.
• In April, chief EU diplomat Kaja Kallas called on European leaders not to attend the 9 May military celebrations in Moscow, but to show solidarity with Ukraine instead.
• The European Union has also given a clear instruction to EU candidate states not to attend the 9 May parade in Moscow and not to visit Russia.
• Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico plans to visit Moscow on 9 May at Putin's invitation.

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