With India on the fence over Ukraine, Biden meets with Modi.

President Biden emphasised rising protection cooperation with India in a digital assembly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday — a line U.S. officers have more and more touted within the hopes of convincing New Delhi to return off the fence over Russia’s warfare on Ukraine.

India has lengthy been reliant on Russia for army {hardware}, an essential issue within the deep historic ties between the 2 nations. And so regardless of international condemnations of Russian aggression in Ukraine, Mr. Modi’s administration has tried to stay impartial — refraining from criticizing Russia, whereas calling for negotiations and fascinating Ukraine with humanitarian help.

Whereas American officers have been understanding of the complexity of India’s balancing act, seeing New Delhi as an essential ally within the face of an assertive China, they’ve at instances expressed frustration that India’s stance is providing President Putin some cowl. Some U.S. officers have warned of penalties if India expands commerce with Russia, particularly any improve in buying oil, because the West tries to tighten sanctions.

India imports solely about one % of its oil wants from Russia. Many Indian officers have spoken of a double customary, with Europe persevering with to import oil from Russia whereas India’s imports come beneath elevated scrutiny.

President Biden echoed sentiments that different U.S. officers have expressed in latest weeks in makes an attempt to reassure India that its supply of army {hardware} wouldn’t run dry have been it to take a firmer stance in opposition to Russia.

“We share a robust and rising main protection partnership,” President Biden mentioned in his opening remarks, earlier than the protection and overseas ministers of each nations sat for prolonged dialogue. “The US and India will proceed our shut consultations on methods to handle the destabilizing results of this Russian warfare.”

India’s protection purchases from the US have elevated over the previous decade to about $20 billion. However analysts have mentioned increasing the ties to the purpose the place India’s dependency on Russian army {hardware} would wane will probably be gradual as it might require overcoming deeply rooted hesitancy within the relationship between the US and India that dates again a long time.

In his remarks, Prime Minister Modi continued India’s delicate line on Ukraine — expressing concern concerning the struggling brought on by the warfare however refraining from calling out Russia because the aggressor.

“Our talks at present are happening at a time when the scenario in Ukraine may be very worrying,” Mr. Modi mentioned. “Throughout this complete course of I spoke a number of instances to the presidents of each Ukraine and Russia. I not solely appealed for peace, but additionally instructed there be direct talks between President Putin and the president of Ukraine.”