After Joe Biden's 'shaky' remark, US says India an 'essential partner'

After US President Joe Biden called India’s position on Russia-Ukraine 'somewhat shaky’, the US has called India an essential partner for its shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. 

Regardless of historical relations between India and Russia, the United States is ‘a partner of choice for India now.’ Indo-Pacific is at the heart of QUAD’s policy and India holds an important place in realising this shared vision, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said.

“When it comes to the values we share in a free and open Indo-Pacific and we’ve invested in that relationship in terms of our defence and security. So historical relationships notwithstanding, we are a partner of choice for India now, as are many of our partners and allies around the world," Price said.

Highlighting that it had different considerations, Price said the relationship between Russia and India has come of age at a different time. "They’ve changed in terms of our willingness and ability to be a strong defence and security partner of India,” he said.

"That is really at the heart of the Quad’s goals. And when it comes to the Quad, the President and his fellow Quad leaders earlier this month March 3rd I believe it was they had an opportunity to discuss the ongoing conflict in the ongoing Russian invasion against Ukraine. Secretary Blinken just before that had an opportunity to see his Quad counterparts, including Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, as well,” Price said.

In November 2017, the US, Australia, India and Japan gave shape to the long-pending proposal of setting up the Quad to develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence, amid China’s growing military presence in the strategic region.

While Biden called India's position shaky, PM Modi had spoken to the Russian President and appealed for an "immediate cessation of violence" and called for "concerted efforts from all sides to return to the path of diplomatic negotiations and dialogue".

He reiterated his "long-standing conviction that the differences between Russia and the NATO group can only be resolved through honest and sincere dialogue," a statement from the Prime Minister's Office said.