WASHINGTON: A diplomatic version of the irresistible force meted out to the immovable object in the virtual meeting between the President of the United States Joe Biden and prime minister Narendra Modi On Monday, Washington was unable to persuade New Delhi to follow the US-NATO line. Russia, With no apparent change in their differences over the Russo-Ukraine War, the two sides insisted on moving forward with other areas of cooperation, including addressing the potentially crippling global food shortage that could result from a prolonged war. may result.
Senior US administration officials briefing reporters after the meeting said the two leaders had an hour-long heated and candid conversation and they covered a range of topics including the Russia-Ukraine war and India’s defense and energy ties with Moscow. Did. Officials said, the US President did not make any specific demands that India end Russian energy imports, and Modi did not make any concrete commitment to stop such imports, adding, “We are not going to tell India that are what to do.”
“Other countries will have to make their own choices… We don’t think India should accelerate or increase imports of Russian energy,” a senior administrative official told reporters in a telecon.
Modi, however, unilaterally raised the subject of the Buka killings, condemned it without blaming anyone and urged an impartial probe into the matter. He said that he has also spoken to the Presidents of Russia and Ukraine and urged for direct dialogue. He also said that India will send another consignment of medicines sought by Ukraine.
Furthermore, there isn’t much in the way of support for the US-NATO stand of subjecting Russia to unprecedented sanctions.
The gap between the two sides on the Russia-Ukraine issue was clear even before the talks. The detailed preface to the White House called for “close consultation on the consequences of Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine”. The Brief Indian Preview rejected specific mention of the conflict, outlining a broader agenda, saying that the engagement “would review current bilateral cooperation and recent developments in South Asia, the Indo-Pacific region and global issues of mutual interest.” but will exchange ideas.” Both sides made their way without diluting differences in any significant way.
Still, despite differences over Russia-Ukraine, the two sides pressed on after familiar claims of being natural partners, along with a wide basket of other issues. India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, who are already in Washington DC for the 2+2 dialogue, sat in on a virtual summit with their US counterparts at the White House, and they continued their talks later in the day. Will keep ,
Ordinarily, ministers and officials meet first to prepare the ground for high-level meetings, but in this instance, President Biden used his personal reputation and powers of persuasion to move Prime Minister Modi, who is known to be at home. Public opinion has to be accepted. On the Russia-Ukraine issue. On the evidence from the initial briefing, it does not appear that they have made any significant dent.
But such is the broad and deep nature of bilateral ties between the two sides, that it was easy to remove the wrinkles, especially with the important role that India is expected to play in global vaccine and food security. Russia and Ukraine are two of the world’s biggest food exporters and the disruption caused by the war is putting the burden of stagnant global food supplies on countries such as the US, Australia and India, which is now a net food exporter.
Senior US administration officials briefing reporters after the meeting said the two leaders had an hour-long heated and candid conversation and they covered a range of topics including the Russia-Ukraine war and India’s defense and energy ties with Moscow. Did. Officials said, the US President did not make any specific demands that India end Russian energy imports, and Modi did not make any concrete commitment to stop such imports, adding, “We are not going to tell India that are what to do.”
“Other countries will have to make their own choices… We don’t think India should accelerate or increase imports of Russian energy,” a senior administrative official told reporters in a telecon.
Modi, however, unilaterally raised the subject of the Buka killings, condemned it without blaming anyone and urged an impartial probe into the matter. He said that he has also spoken to the Presidents of Russia and Ukraine and urged for direct dialogue. He also said that India will send another consignment of medicines sought by Ukraine.
Furthermore, there isn’t much in the way of support for the US-NATO stand of subjecting Russia to unprecedented sanctions.
The gap between the two sides on the Russia-Ukraine issue was clear even before the talks. The detailed preface to the White House called for “close consultation on the consequences of Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine”. The Brief Indian Preview rejected specific mention of the conflict, outlining a broader agenda, saying that the engagement “would review current bilateral cooperation and recent developments in South Asia, the Indo-Pacific region and global issues of mutual interest.” but will exchange ideas.” Both sides made their way without diluting differences in any significant way.
Still, despite differences over Russia-Ukraine, the two sides pressed on after familiar claims of being natural partners, along with a wide basket of other issues. India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, who are already in Washington DC for the 2+2 dialogue, sat in on a virtual summit with their US counterparts at the White House, and they continued their talks later in the day. Will keep ,
Ordinarily, ministers and officials meet first to prepare the ground for high-level meetings, but in this instance, President Biden used his personal reputation and powers of persuasion to move Prime Minister Modi, who is known to be at home. Public opinion has to be accepted. On the Russia-Ukraine issue. On the evidence from the initial briefing, it does not appear that they have made any significant dent.
But such is the broad and deep nature of bilateral ties between the two sides, that it was easy to remove the wrinkles, especially with the important role that India is expected to play in global vaccine and food security. Russia and Ukraine are two of the world’s biggest food exporters and the disruption caused by the war is putting the burden of stagnant global food supplies on countries such as the US, Australia and India, which is now a net food exporter.