Biden, Modi discuss Ukraine war

WASHINGTON: When President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met virtually on Monday to discuss the Ukraine crisis, they had a “candid exchange of views,” but the United States seemed to have made little progress in luring the subordinate nation away from its neutral stance on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“It is important that all countries, especially those with leverage, press Putin to end the war,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters after the virtual summit, which was followed by an in-person meeting with his Indian counterpart and the defense ministers from both countries.

According to Blinken, “And it’s also important that democracies stand together and speak with one voice to defend the values that we share.”

India, a crucial strategic ally in US attempts to control expanding Chinese dominance in the Asia-Pacific area, received no substantial demands from Vice President Biden, and there was no hint of meaningful progress toward unifying the Ukraine crisis.

Biden “made clear that he does not believe it’s in India’s interest to accelerate or increase imports of Russian energy and other commodities.” a White House spokesperson said, Jen Psaki, nevertheless.

Maintaining ties with the West while avoiding alienating Russia has been difficult for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has tried to walk a tightrope by continuing to purchase Russian oil.

He just acknowledged the situation was “extremely troubling” and reminded Biden of his support for talks between Russia and Ukraine, which Washington sees with mistrust.

In response to a question concerning Vice President Joe Biden’s call for India to reduce its energy imports from Russia, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said, “I think our entire purchases for the month would be less than what Europe spends in an afternoon.”

There is no “concrete ask and concrete answer” when it comes to energy imports, but Vice President Biden has been putting pressure on foreign leaders to do so.

“India has to make its own decisions about how it approaches this challenge,” said Blinken, noting however that India “has made very strong statements … condemning the killing of civilians in Ukraine” and was “providing significant humanitarian assistance.”

However, in an apparent effort to keep India from joining the Russian camp despite Moscow’s vigorous courtship, Washington appears to be heaping friendship vows on the country instead of winning it over.

It was in this spirit that Biden welcomed President Obama and said he hoped their “close consultation” on the war would be carried on.

An early March conference of the US, India, Australia, and Japan “Quad” alliance failed to produce a joint denunciation of Russia’s incursion by Vice President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

India’shaky’ on Russia?

New Delhi also voted against suspending Russia from the 47-member Human Rights Council amid allegations that Russian forces in Ukraine committed war crimes in a vote taken last week by the UN General Assembly.

“Consequences” have already been issued by the United States to any country that aids Russia in evading sanctions.

Indian and Russian efforts to develop a rupee-ruble payment system to get over financial sanctions and take advantage of lower energy prices offered by Russian exporters have not been discouraged.

In contrast, India has purchased at least three million barrels of Russian crude since the beginning of the invasion on February 24.

India, according to Biden, was the only ally with a “slightly wobbly” response to the Russian onslaught on March 21.

Officially non-aligned India leaned toward the Soviet Union during the Cold War, in part because the United States supported Pakistan’s arch-rival.

Russian weaponry remain India’s most important supplier, and India is Russia’s most important consumer, according to experts.

“The situation in its entirety, rather than simply in a one-sided fashion” was praised by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov when he met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi earlier this month.

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