PM Modi, President Biden’s Virtual Meet Tomorrow Amid Friction With US On Russia

US President Joe Biden will conduct a virtual meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow, aimed at "further strengthening the bilateral Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership" as per the official statement. This comes as India’s diplomatic  stance and relationship with Russia has been commented on by US officials and Mr. Biden himself.

The press release ahead of the meeting states that “the two Leaders will review ongoing bilateral cooperation and exchange views on recent developments in South Asia, the Indo-Pacific region and global issues of mutual interest.”

This meeting will be followed by a 2+2 Ministerial level dialogue between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on the Indian side, with their American counterparts, Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Focus On India Amid Ongoing Russia-Ukraine War

The United States has been cultivating a closer strategic partnership with India for its interests in the Indo-Pacific region but has responded negatively to India’s decision to continue trade of crude oil with Russia. It has also sought a firmer stance against Moscow from New Delhi at the United Nations, but so far, India has abstained on all votes in context of the ongoing conflict.

US Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economics Daleep Singh had stated that he had come to explain the “mechanism of our sanctions” and also that there would be “consequences” for countries attempting to “circumvent or backfill the sanctions”. This was said in context of India and Rusia developing an alternative payment system using rupees and roubles for purchase of crude oil.