It's Day 36 of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and a lot has happened in just the past week. This includes Russia and Ukraine coming to the negotiating table in Istanbul, Russia announcing for the first time that it would reduce military presence in Kyiv and surrounding regions, and Ukraine pitching the idea of declaring itself a neutral nation to end the war. While the peace talks have offered a glimmer of hope, there have been no breakthroughs yet. The two nations at war, however, have decided to resume peace talks on 1 April. Over the past month, we have also seen how the severe sanctions slapped on Russia have affected not only its economy but also that of the world. The price of crude oil and natural gas has been spiking almost every day, and the impact of it is felt in India as well. In the past 10 days, the price of petrol and diesel has increased 9 times in India. While India has supported calls for a ceasefire and a diplomatic solution, it has so far abstained from every vote for draft resolutions condemning Russia. This fence-sitting has also led to a growing unease on the diplomatic front for India, with Germany, Australia, and the US critiquing India for its stance. What may have made matters worse is Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's visit to New Delhi on 31 March. The agenda of his 2-day visit is not public, but it does put India in a tricky situation, especially with the fellow QUAD countries. In today’s episode, we go over the recent developments in the ongoing war and what they signify. Joining me today to unpack this is our regular guest and friend of the show Professor Harsh Pant, the Director of Strategic Studies at the Observer Research Foundation. Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Saundarya Talwar Music: Big Bang Fuzz Listen to The Big Story podcast on: Apple: https://apple.co/2AYdLIl Saavn: http://bit.ly/2oix78C Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/2ntMV7S Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2IyLAUQ Deezer: http://bit.ly/2Vrf5Ng Castbox: http://bit.ly/2VqZ9ur