New Delhi: The US State Department, for a second consecutive day, has taken cognizance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to Russia. State Department’s spokesperson Matthew Miller Tuesday said the US is in talks with India, confirming dialogue in the past 24 hours, although specifics of these conversations remain confidential.
Modi’s bilateral visit to Moscow, the first in nine years and the first after taking office for the third time, is closely watched by the world, especially the West, which has made attempts to “isolate” Russia over its aggression in Ukrainian territory.
Answering questions by the press, Miller reiterated the need for peace in Ukraine, and the US’s ask of India to support efforts conducive to peace. He said, “We continue to urge India to support efforts to realise an enduring and just peace in Ukraine, based on the principles of the UN Charter, based on upholding Ukraine’s territorial integrity and its sovereignty.”
The US will continue to engage with India on this issue, Miller added.
The Pentagon, too, in its press conference, touched upon PM Modi’s Russia visit. Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder said, “From a US perspective, India is a strategic partner with whom we continue to engage in full and frank dialogue to include their relationship with Russia.”
Modi’s presence in Russia and his now infamous hug has also somewhat become a concern for the world. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly criticized the embrace, denouncing it as a setback to global peace efforts. He wrote on X, “It is a huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the world’s largest democracy hug the world’s most bloody criminal in Moscow on such a day,” as reported earlier by ThePrint.
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In a televised joint interaction with President Putin, PM Modi emphasised the historic partnership between India and Russia while also expressing empathy for the humanitarian toll of the conflict in Ukraine, stating that the loss of lives, especially innocent children, is “heartbreaking”. Modi also advocated for diplomatic solutions over military escalation, emphasising the need for global cooperation. He said, “There is no solution on the battlefield”.
Modi’s visit to Russia comes at a time when the US is hosting Western member states of NATO for a 75th anniversary of the bloc while proclaiming Western support for Ukraine.
As PM Modi breaks his two-time tradition of taking bilateral visits to the neighbourhood first, or as soon as he assumes office, India continues to be a “time-tested ally” to Russia. India has emerged as the second-biggest importer of Russian oil after China since the war began, despite Western sanctions on Russia and scepticism. India’s import of Russian oil has been met with mixed reactions from the US, with many questioning the North American country for not holding India accountable. India has been called a “strategic” partner by the US with the present and former presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump both giving PM Modi a red carpet welcome.
Following his visit to Moscow, PM Modi proceeded to Vienna, Austria where he was welcomed by Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
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