Voiced our 'concerns' about Russia to India: US State Department

Washington, March 1

The United States enjoys a “close and cordial” relationship with India, a senior official in the Joe Biden administration has said here on Monday, even as he voiced his country’s “concerns” to New Delhi about Russia.

Last week, India had abstained on a procedural resolution to call for a rare special emergency session of the UN General Assembly on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

“We have a very close relationship with India. We have discussed our concerns, our shared concerns,” US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters on Monday, when asked about Washington’s reaction after India abstained twice during the UN Security Council vote on Russia’s attack on Ukraine. 

India’s relationship with Russia is distinct from that the US shares with the latter and that is okay, the Biden administration had earlier said, underlining that Washington has asked every country that has leverage with Moscow to use it to protect rules-based international order. 

“We have regular engagement with our Indian partners. We have regular engagement with our Emirati partners.  We have regular engagement with our European allies and our European partners.  So at every level, we are having discussions,” Price explained.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation in Ukraine last week.

Russia has launched multiple attacks on several areas in central and eastern Ukraine, drawing widespread condemnation and sanctions from several countries, including the US. 

Meanwhile, the US Senate Subcommittee on Near East, Southeast, Central Asia and Counterterrorism has announced a hearing on the country’s policy towards India. The hearing has been scheduled for March 2.

Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Donald Lu, has been asked to testify before the Senatorial subcommittee on ‘US Policy Towards India.’