India Stands by Its Ties with Russia, Defends Freedom of Choice Amid US Criticism

July 26 :
Asserting that all nations in a multipolar world have the liberty to chose their bilateral relationships, India has brushed off US administration worries about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent trip to Russia. President Modi's visit to Moscow was criticized by US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Donald Lu, during a congressional hearing. This statement follows Lu's criticism. The "symbolism and timing" of the visit, he said, were poor choices, particularly because President Joe Biden was attending the NATO Summit in Washington.

In a press conference held on July 25, spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal of the External Affairs Ministry responded to Lu's remarks by stressing that India and Russia's relationship is based on shared interests. At the briefing, Jaiswal said reporters that India and Russia have had a long-standing partnership based on shared interests. Every nation has the autonomy to make its own decisions in a world with multiple poles. He went on to say that everyone must keep these truths in mind and value them.

Jaiswal went on to say that the economic agenda was front and center during Modi's visit to Moscow, with Putin and Modi having set a lofty goal of $100 billion in trade by 2030. Making sure the Kudankulam power plant has reliable access to Russian crude, fertilizers, and nuclear fuel was another major topic of discussion.

During his meeting with Putin, Modi made it clear that the Ukrainian conflict had no place on the battlefield and that peace negotiations would fail "under the shadow of the gun."

Lu restated the administration's worries on the visit during his testimony before Congress on July 23. “I share your concern about this visit...and we are trying very hard to communicate those concerns directly to the Indians,” Lu stated in response to Republican Congressman Joe Wilson's statements.

While Modi did meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the margins of the G7 Summit in Italy two weeks before his journey to Moscow, Lu also sought to put the visit into context by mentioning that.

While Modi was in town, Lu noted that there was a complete lack of discussion of new big defense deals or substantial technological cooperation. He went on to say that Modi publicly spoke out against the conflict in Ukraine and conveyed his sadness over the loss of life of children in his address to Putin. The bombing of the biggest children's hospital in Ukraine by Russia on the day Modi landed in Moscow was being referred to.