US Reaffirms India As Strategic Partner Despite Russia Ties Concerns

The Biden Administration has affirmed that India will remain a strategic partner for the US despite concerns over its ties with Russia as per a report by The Economic Times.

This comes in background of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Russia for the 22nd India-Russia annual summit, a meeting closely monitored by the West amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict.

During his discussions with President Vladimir Putin, PM Modi has emphasised that the Ukraine conflict cannot be resolved on the battlefield and that peace efforts cannot succeed amidst ongoing violence.

In separate responses on Tuesday (9 July), Pentagon and State Department spokespersons addressed questions about India's relationship with Russia and Modi's visit to Moscow.

"India and Russia have had a relationship for a very long time. 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. As it relates to the NATO summit being this week, of course, like you, the world is focused on that," said Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder at a news conference.

Ryder also went on to remark, "I do not think anybody will be surprised if (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin tries to represent this visit in a way that seeks to somehow show that he is not isolated from the rest of the world. And the fact of the matter is President Putin's war of choice has isolated Russia from the rest of the world, and it has come at great cost."

However, he added, "We will continue to view India as a strategic partner and maintain a robust dialogue with them."

US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller noted at his daily press briefing that the US has been clear about its "concerns about India's relationship with Russia."

Despite these concerns, India has steadfastly defended its "special and privileged strategic partnership" with Russia and continued to strengthen ties despite the Ukraine conflict.

India has not condemned Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, consistently advocating for a resolution through dialogue and diplomacy.