New Delhi, Sept. 7 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said he held a "good" exchange with French President Emmanuel Macron, during which the two leaders discussed efforts to secure an early resolution to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Macron also briefed Modi on the outcome of last week's meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Coalition of the Willing-a grouping of 31 nations, including France and the UK, that aims to strengthen Ukraine's position against Russia.

Against this backdrop, India has surfaced as an alternative diplomatic channel for the West, reinforced by Putin's acknowledgment of New Delhi's contribution to peace efforts during the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in...