Washington, India will remain a strategic partner for the United States despite concerns about its ties with Russia, the Biden Administration has said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Russia for two days for the 22nd annual India-Russia summit that has been closely watched by the West amid the raging Ukraine conflict.
During his talks with Putin on Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi told President Putin that a solution to the Ukraine conflict is not possible on the battlefield and peace efforts do not succeed amidst bombs and bullets.
On Tuesday, Pentagon and State Department spokespersons reacted separately to questions about India's relationship with Russia and Modi's visit to Moscow.
"India and Russia have had a relationship for a long time. From the United States' perspective, India is a strategic partner with whom we continue to engage in a full and frank dialogue to include its relationship with Russia. Regarding the summit of NATO that is being held This week, of course, like you, the world is focused on that," Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters at a news conference.
On the other hand, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily press briefing that the US has been quite clear about its "concerns about India's relationship with Russia."
"We have expressed that privately directly to the Indian government, and we continue to do so. And that has not changed," Miller told reporters at his daily news conference.
India has been firmly upholding its "special and privileged strategic partnership" with Russia and maintained momentum in ties despite the Ukraine conflict.
India has not yet condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and has consistently advocated for a resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.
Ryder said: "I don't think anyone will be surprised if (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin tries to portray this visit in a way that tries to somehow demonstrate that he is not isolated from the rest of the world. And the fact of the matter is that President Putin's chosen war has isolated Russia from the rest of the world, and it has come at great cost.
His war of aggression has had a great cost and the facts confirm it," he stated.
"So we will continue to see India as a strategic partner. We will continue to have a robust dialogue with them," Ryder said.
"He (Putin) doesn't seem so isolated with the head of the world's largest democracy in Moscow, hugging him right now," one journalist asked.
Ryder responded by saying that Prime Minister Modi also recently met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and offered him assurances that India will continue to do everything in its power to support a peaceful solution to the war in Ukraine.
"I think we are confident that India will support efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace for Ukraine and convey to Mr. Putin the importance of adhering to the UN charter and the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity," he added.
Miller said the United States continues to "urge India to support efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, based on the principles of the UN Charter based on defending the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. And “That will continue to be what we will commit to.” with India approximately.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Russia for two days for the 22nd annual India-Russia summit that has been closely watched by the West amid the raging Ukraine conflict.
During his talks with Putin on Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi told President Putin that a solution to the Ukraine conflict is not possible on the battlefield and peace efforts do not succeed amidst bombs and bullets.
On Tuesday, Pentagon and State Department spokespersons reacted separately to questions about India's relationship with Russia and Modi's visit to Moscow.
"India and Russia have had a relationship for a long time. From the United States' perspective, India is a strategic partner with whom we continue to engage in a full and frank dialogue to include its relationship with Russia. Regarding the summit of NATO that is being held This week, of course, like you, the world is focused on that," Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters at a news conference.
On the other hand, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily press briefing that the US has been quite clear about its "concerns about India's relationship with Russia."
"We have expressed that privately directly to the Indian government, and we continue to do so. And that has not changed," Miller told reporters at his daily news conference.
India has been firmly upholding its "special and privileged strategic partnership" with Russia and maintained momentum in ties despite the Ukraine conflict.
India has not yet condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and has consistently advocated for a resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.
Ryder said: "I don't think anyone will be surprised if (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin tries to portray this visit in a way that tries to somehow demonstrate that he is not isolated from the rest of the world. And the fact of the matter is that President Putin's chosen war has isolated Russia from the rest of the world, and it has come at great cost.
His war of aggression has had a great cost and the facts confirm it," he stated.
"So we will continue to see India as a strategic partner. We will continue to have a robust dialogue with them," Ryder said.
"He (Putin) doesn't seem so isolated with the head of the world's largest democracy in Moscow, hugging him right now," one journalist asked.
Ryder responded by saying that Prime Minister Modi also recently met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and offered him assurances that India will continue to do everything in its power to support a peaceful solution to the war in Ukraine.
"I think we are confident that India will support efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace for Ukraine and convey to Mr. Putin the importance of adhering to the UN charter and the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity," he added.
Miller said the United States continues to "urge India to support efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, based on the principles of the UN Charter based on defending the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. And “That will continue to be what we will commit to.” with India approximately.
