Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will skip the annual Victory Day military parade in Russia next week as tensions with Pakistan escalate following a fatal attack in Kashmir, as announced by the Kremlin on Wednesday.
At least 20 foreign leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, have accepted President Vladimir Putin’s invitation to the May 9 event in Red Square, which commemorates the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory in World War II. Although Modi received an invitation, he has yet to confirm his participation.
“The Indian leader will not be attending. However, India will have representation at a lower level,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov informed reporters on Wednesday.
Following this, India announced that Defense Minister Rajnath Singh would represent the country at the Moscow parade.
Relations between India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed nations, have significantly worsened after a deadly attack on April 22 in Indian-administered Kashmir that resulted in the deaths of 26 Hindu pilgrims. New Delhi has accused Islamabad of involvement in the attack and has granted its military “full operational freedom” to retaliate. Pakistan, which denies any connection, has warned of a potential Indian counterstrike within the next day or two, citing “credible intelligence.”
In a separate development, President Putin has suggested a 72-hour ceasefire in Ukraine to align with the upcoming Victory Day celebrations—an offer that Kyiv has dismissed as merely a tactical ploy to delay military actions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remarked on Tuesday that the Kremlin is “rightly concerned” about security at the parade in Red Square. However, Peskov downplayed these worries on Wednesday, asserting, “The Victory Day parade will take place in Moscow, and we will watch it with pride.”
This year’s event marks the fourth commemoration since Russia launched its large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
According to Russia’s Defense Ministry, troops from 19 countries have been invited to partake in the parade, with 10 confirming their attendance. Japanese media reports suggest that North Korea is expected to send troops for the first time, although Peskov indicated he was not aware of such plans.
