Home International Relations Indian Prime Minister, US President holds virtual talks – Key Takeaways

Indian Prime Minister, US President holds virtual talks – Key Takeaways

The Indian Prime Minister and US President Joe Biden held virtual talks last night. Along with that India and the US held the 2+2 dialogue in Washington. Indian Defence minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met their US counterparts, Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony J Blinken in Washington.

Here are the key takeaways from the meetings.

  • The Indian Prime Minister and US President discussed the Ukraine situation in detail. They also spoke about cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. The leaders also discussed ways to control the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change. 
  • PM Modi described the situation in Ukraine as “worrying.” He also condemned the killings in Bucha and urged for an independent probe. Modi also highlighted that at Ukraine’s request, New Delhi was sending medical supplies there.
  • PM Modi said he had suggested direct talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. 
  • Being the largest and oldest democracies, Modi told US and India are natural partners. 
  • President Biden began his talks by condemning events in Ukraine and said that both US and India would consult on how to stabilize the situation in Ukraine. 
  • Post meeting, when asked about the US pressure on India to condemn Russia, President Biden said India would make its own decisions. However, the discussions will continue.
  • Regarding India’s stand, the White House briefed the media saying, “We know that Russia has concerns – we know that India has concerns about the links between Russia and China. India, of course, is facing a very tense situation along the Line of Actual Control. And when India sees the tight links between China and Russia, that’s obviously going to impact their thinking.”
  • When the Indian External Affairs Minister was asked by the media about India’s fuel purchase from Russia, he said “probably our total purchases for the month would be less than what Europe does in an afternoon.”
  • Indian Defence minister urged American companies to invest in India and support the “Make in India” programme.
  • India and the US signed a bilateral space situational awareness arrangement, deepening defence engagements.