Modi, Biden focus on ties in shadow of Ukraine war
WASHINGTON: On a day marked by intense engagement between the Indian and American leadership in Washington DC, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden, during a virtual meeting on Monday, articulated a shared commitment to deepen India-US ties and sought to bridge differences in their positions on the war in Ukraine, both in public remarks and private discussions.
Biden praised India’s humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and highlighted the need for continuous close consultations to manage the “destablising consequences of the Russian war”, while Modi articulated the Indian position on the issue, including its appeal for peace and direct talks between Russia and Ukraine, condemnation of killings in Bucha and the call for an independent enquiry. He also flagged the need to ensure the security of civilians and unhindered access to humanitarian aid.
Both leaders also spoke of shared democratic values, the progress that has been made in different domains, and the potential for the future, with Biden terming the partnership with India as one of the US’s most important relationships, and Modi terming the two nations as “natural partners”. The PM also said that the India-US friendship would be “an integral part of India’s development journey for the next 25 years”. Defence minister Rajnath Singh and external affairs minister S Jaishankar, along with secretary of defence Lloyd J Austin and secretary of state Antony J Blinken, sat with Biden in the White House and participated in the conversation. The Indian ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, was also present. In a departure from the norm, this is the first time that there has been an apex leader level meeting before the 2+2 dialogue, which was scheduled later on Monday.
A senior US administration official described the hour-long talks as “warm, candid, direct, productive” and said that both leaders presented their points of view about the Ukraine crisis.