India's Modi visits Ukraine this week, after a recent trip to Moscow. Here's what it could mean

NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a historic visit Friday to Ukraine, a month and a half after he traveled to Moscow to hold talks with President Vladimir Putin.

Officials in India and Ukraine have said the visit will focus on boosting economic ties and cooperation in defense, science and technology.

But analysts say the visit could also be an attempt to have India strike a more neutral stance after what has been seen as a lean toward Russia, given Modi’s recent Moscow visit, his country's historic, Cold War-era relationship with Russia and New Delhi's avoidance of directly criticizing Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.