Modi refuses to let go of Putin despite Biden’s charm offensive

Modi and Putin

By Pranay Sharma

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resolve to stand by Russian President Vladimir Putin by refusing to condemn Russia for its invasion of Ukraine was once again on display during his recently concluded visit to the United States.

During Modi’s visit last week,  US President Joe Biden tried to bring him into a tighter strategic embrace by praising Modi as a close friend and promising to take the relations to a higher level.

But despite his efforts, the Indian Prime Minister refused to budge from India’s stated position on Russia and Ukraine.

Modi has been to the US a number of times since becoming prime minister in 2014, but this was his first state visit to the country.

Biden, who invited him for this state visit — a rare honour reserved by American presidents for close allies — had laid out the red carpet to welcome the Indian Prime Minister.

Apart from a private dinner and a state banquet, Modi was also invited by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a Republican, to address the joint session of the US Congress, indicating bipartisan support for strengthening India-US ties. Biden is a Democrat.

But despite the optimism about the future of the bilateral relations, the Biden administration and many in the US establishment are disappointed with India’s refusal to condemn Russia for its invasion of  Ukraine, and its continued comradeship with the country.

Also read: Subtle shift in India's position on Ukraine: US official

Biden made it a point to mention Russia’s invasion of Ukraine while receiving Modi for the ceremonial welcome ceremony. He also raised the issue with the Indian Prime Minister during their bilateral discussions.

India is the only close partner of the US that has refused to condemn Putin. This has embarrassed the US President, who has pitched the Ukraine war as a conflict between democracy and autocracy. Also, as the largest democracy in the world, India’s refusal to join the anti-Russian bandwagon has led many other countries to follow suit and diluted his campaign.

Modi did not yield to the cajoling, nudges, and pressure during his engagements with the US leaders. The joint statement issued by the two sides during his visit had a paragraph on Ukraine. But it repeated India’s known position on the war, and dwelt on the tragic humanitarian consequences of the conflict. It also spoke about its impact on the global economy, particularly on food and energy security.

The statement called for greater efforts to mitigate the consequences for the developing world and said that the two countries would provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine.

It also spoke of  respect for international law, the principles of the UN charter, and territorial integrity and sovereignty, which have already figured in India’s statements in the UN and other forums.

Reiterating these points during his address to the joint session of the US Congress, Modi said this was not an era of war but of diplomacy and dialogue, and outstanding issues should be resolved through peaceful negotiations.

The Indian Prime Minister had raised these points in a bilateral meeting with Putin in September last year during the SCO summit in Uzbekistan. His decision to repeat the same at the US Congress helped explain India’s stand on the Ukraine war. But did not indicate any shift in its stance.

Russia is a close and traditional strategic partner of India and its largest arms supplier.

Despite the  growing presence of the US in the Indian defence market — standing at about $20 billion over 2008-2020 — Russia remains  India’s main arms supplier and accounts for nearly 50 percent of its weapons.

India also sees Russia as a major partner in meeting the challenge posed by China, despite the growing proximity between Moscow and Beijing in recent months because of the Ukraine war.

Observers point out that though the Biden administration failed to make India change its stand on Russia, it has still gone ahead with backing India at the United Nations.

Biden did not hesitate to support India in playing a bigger role at the UN as a permanent member. He also supported India’s candidature as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2028-29 term.

This indicates that despite the difference between the two countries on Russia, the US is keen to have India as a close partner as China continues to pose a threat to its global hegemony.