'India-Russia ties distinct from our relations with Moscow, that's okay': US
The remarks came even as India on Friday abstained during a UN Security Council vote over a resolution deploring Russia"s "aggression" in the strongest terms which would have demanded the immediate withdrawal of its troops.
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India's relationship with Russia is distinct from that the US shares with the latter and that is okay, the Biden administration said, underlining that Washington has asked every country that has leverage with Moscow to use it to protect rules-based international order.
The remarks came even as India on Friday abstained during a UN Security Council vote over a resolution deploring Russia's "aggression" in the strongest terms which would have demanded the immediate withdrawal of its troops.
"We continue to engage with the Indians," White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Friday. A day earlier, President Joe Biden had said that the issue had not been "resolved completely". His administration incidentally is keen on breathing new life into the diplomatic "Quad" -- Australia, India, Japan and the United States -- to blunt China's expanding power in the region.
We've a broad strategic partnership with India, share values. India has a relationship with Russia that is distinct from the relationship that we've with Russia that is okay. What we've asked every country is to use that leverage in a constructive way: US State Dept Spox pic.twitter.com/j0ZR89nOqU
— ANI (@ANI) February 25, 2022
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had held telephonic talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, calling for an "immediate cessation of violence" and laying emphasis on the evacuation of Indian citizens from the conflicted region. Western nations have however pushed for an explicit condemnation of Moscow's military operation from India. According to reports, both Russia and the US had reached out to India for support ahead of the UNSC vote.
India has historically had close ties with Russia, and Moscow is a major supplier of arms to the South Asian nation. Despite its overtures, however, the US acknowledges that its relationship with Russia is different from India-Russia ties. "We share important interests with India. We share important values with India. And we know India has a relationship with Russia that is distinct from the relationship that we have with Russia. Of course, that is okay," State Department spokesperson Ned told reporters at his daily news conference on Friday.
Noting the India-Russia relationship in several areas including the defence and security sector, the official said that the US had "asked every country that has a relationship and certainly those countries that have leverage to use that leverage in a constructive way". He also touched upon discussions held recently with Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar in Melbourne.
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