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WASHINGTON, Apr 12 (AP) \u2014 President Joe Biden asked India\u2019s Narendra Modi on Monday not to accelerate the buying of Russian oil as the U.S. and other nations try to cut off Moscow\u2019s energy income following the invasion of Ukraine. The Indian prime minister made no public commitment to refrain from Russian oil, a source of tension with the U.S.<\/p>\n
Meeting by video call, Biden told Modi that the U.S. could help India diversify its sources of energy, according to press secretary Jen Psaki. Even though India receives little of its oil from Russia, it stepped up recently with a major purchase as other democracies are trying to isolate Russian President Vladimir Putin.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe president also made clear that he doesn\u2019t believe it\u2019s in India\u2019s interest to accelerate or increase imports of Russian energy or other commodities,\u201d Psaki said.<\/p>\n
At a separate State Department news conference with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar pointedly suggested that Europe, not India, be the focus of Washington\u2019s concern about energy purchases from Russia.<\/p>\n
\u201cI suspect, looking at the figures, probably our total purchases for the month would be less than what Europe does in an afternoon,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
While Biden and Modi ended their session with Biden saying they committed to strengthening their relationship, White House officials could not say if India stood with them in fully condemning Putin, saying the choice ultimately rested with Modi\u2019s government. The two leaders will meet in person May 24 in Tokyo for a summit of the Quad, a coalition that also includes Australia and Japan.<\/p>\n
At the State Department news conference, Blinken appeared to seek to cajole India into taking a stronger stance on the conflict in Ukraine, appealing to the country\u2019s interest in upholding the international rules-based order and pointing out that resource-stretched Indians may be affected by both energy and food shortages caused by the war.<\/p>\n
\u201cRussia\u2019s aggression stands in stark contrast to the vision that the United States and India share for a free and open Indo-Pacific, and Russia\u2019s actions are having a profound impact not just in Europe and Ukraine, but around the world, for example, causing food insecurity and rising prices,\u201d Blinken told reporters after the meetings concluded.<\/p>\n
India\u2019s neutral stance in the war has raised concerns in Washington and earned praise from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who lauded India this month for judging \u201cthe situation in its entirety, not just in a one-sided way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Biden opened the video conversation by emphasizing the defense partnership between the two countries and by saying the U.S. and India are going to \u201ccontinue our close consultation on how to manage the destabilizing effects of this Russian war\u201d on food and other commodities.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe root of our partnership is a deep connection between our people, ties of family, of friendship and of shared values,\u201d the U.S. president said.<\/p>\n
Modi on Monday called the situation in Ukraine \u201cvery worrying,\u201d and he noted that an Indian student lost his life during the war. He said he has spoken with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, appealing to both of them for peace. India has condemned the killings uncovered in the city of Bucha and has called for an independent investigation.<\/p>\n
A senior U.S. official described the Biden-Modi exchange as warm and productive, though the official stressed that India would make its own decisions on how to respond to Putin. The official insisted on anonymity to discuss the meeting.<\/p>\n
Biden and Modi discussed how to manage the risks of global instability regarding food, humanitarian relief and climate change, and Modi candidly shared his views about some of the tight links between Russia and China that raise concerns, the official said.<\/p>\n
Also Monday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met in person with Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.<\/p>\n
Austin appealed to India to act together with fellow democracies, a form of government based on the popular consent of the people that stands in contrast to autocracies such as China and Russia.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow more than ever, democracies must stand together to defend the values that we all share,\u201d Austin said.<\/p>\n
India has refrained from some efforts to hold Russia accountable for its invasion. India abstained when the U.N. General Assembly voted Thursday to suspend Russia from its seat on the 47-member Human Rights Council over allegations that Russian soldiers in Ukraine engaged in rights violations that the U.S. and Ukraine have called war crimes.<\/p>\n
The vote was 93-24 with 58 abstentions.<\/p>\n
India continues to purchase Russian energy supplies, despite pressure from Western countries to avoid buying Russian oil and gas. The U.S. has also considered sanctions on India for its recent purchase of advanced Russian air defense systems.<\/p>\n
Last month, the state-run Indian Oil Corp. bought 3 million barrels of crude from Russia to secure its needs, resisting entreaties from the West to avoid such purchases. India isn\u2019t alone in buying Russian energy, however. Several European allies such as Germany have continued to do so, despite public pressure to end these contracts.<\/p>\n
Indian media reports said Russia was offering a discount on oil purchases of 20% below global benchmark prices.<\/p>\n
Iraq is India\u2019s top supplier, with a 27% share. Saudi Arabia is second at around 17%, followed by the United Arab Emirates with 13% and the U.S. at 9%, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.<\/p>\n
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