The United States has expressed deep concerns about India’s relationship with Russia, emphasizing, “India is a strategic partner with whom we engage in a full and frank dialogue, and that includes on our concerns about the relationship with Russia.”
On July 8, 2024, US State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, noted during a media briefing, “We would urge India, as we do any country when it engages with Russia, to make clear that any resolution to the conflict in Ukraine needs to be one that respects the UN Charter, that respects Ukraine’s territorial integrity, Ukraine’s sovereignty.”
United States concerns coincided with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day official visit to meet President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. In a statement before departing for Moscow, PM Modi said, “I look forward to reviewing all aspects of bilateral cooperation with my friend President Vladimir Putin and sharing perspectives on various regional and global issues. We seek to play a supportive role in a peaceful and stable region. The visit will also provide me an opportunity to meet the vibrant Indian community in Russia.”
When asked whether the US had specific concerns prior to PM Modi’s visit to Moscow, Miller stated that the United States had previously made its concerns clear, while adding that “I’m not aware of any conversation specifically about this trip, in advance of the trip.”
“I will look to Prime Minister Modi’s public remarks to see what he talked about, but as I said, we made quite clear directly with India our concerns about their relationship with Russia,” Miller said while responding to a question about whether PM Modi raised concerns about Ukraine to President Putin.
“Whether it is war, conflict, or a terrorist attack, any person who believes in humanity is pained when there is a loss of lives. But even in that, when innocent children are killed, the heart bleeds, and that pain is very terrifying,” PM Modi told President Putin during their meeting at the Kremlin. “Solutions are not possible on the battleground. Amidst guns, bullets and bombs, peace talks cannot be successful. We have to find the path to peace only through talks.”
On July 9th, a joint statement “India-Russia: Enduring and Expanding Partnership” released by India’s Foreign Ministry following the 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit highlighted partnership between both countries on many areas.
The statement while elaborating India-Russia cooperation at the United Nations and other multilateral forums highlighted a robust level of political dialogue and collaboration between the two nations on various UN issues, with a mutual agreement to enhance this cooperation further.
“Both Sides stressed the importance of reinvigorating multilateralism, with the central coordinating role played by the United Nations in world affairs,” the statement added. “The Sides underlined the primacy of respect for international law and emphasized their commitment to the purposes and the principles stated in the UN Charter including the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of Member States.”
The statement said President Putin conferred Russia’s highest civilian honor the “Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle,” on PM Modi for his “distinguished contribution to the development of Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia.”
Following his meeting with President Putin at the Kremlin, PM Modi tweeted that he had “productive discussions” and discussed pathways to diversify India-Russia cooperation in sectors such as trade, commerce, security, agriculture, technology and innovation. He further added India and Russia attach “great importance to boosting connectivity and people-to-people exchanges.”
India has a longstanding relationship with Moscow and relies significantly on Russian military equipment. During a five-hour visit to President Putin’s Novo-Ogaryovo residence on July 8th, PM Modi reportedly discussed Ukraine with President Putin. After visiting the Atom Pavilion at the VDNKh Exhibition Centre along with President Putin, PM Modi said, “Energy is an important pillar of cooperation between India and Russia, and we are eager to further cement ties in this sector.”
PM Modi addressed the Indian diaspora in Moscow as well. In his address, he commended the relations between India and Russia. “No matter if the temperatures in Russia are in minus, Russia-India friendship has always been in plus,” he said. “This is a relationship built on a foundation of mutual trust and mutual respect.”
“India’s growing capabilities have given the whole world hope… people-to-people connect is at the heart of the India-Russia friendship, the friendship with Russia is something we greatly cherish,” he further added.
It is significant that PM Modi arrived in Russia a day before the 75th anniversary NATO Summit in Washington where the United States and other NATO allies will be strategizing efforts to contain Russia while defending Ukraine.
PM Modi’s visit also coincided with the Russian missile strikes on a children’s hospital in Kyiv, which resulted in the deaths of at least 41 people, including three children. Nearly 100 buildings were damaged in the attack, among them were schools and maternity hospitals.
Criticizing PM Modi’s meeting with President Putin, President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted, “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.”
