'Times have changed, US ready to be a partner of choice for India'

The ties began with the Soviet Union and continued with Russia after the communist mega-state disintegrated

The time when India had to rely on Russia has changed and it can now find in the United States a “partner of choice”, President Joe Biden’s Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, said.

“India’s relationship with Russia has developed over decades at a time when the United States was not able to be a partner to India,” Blinken said after he and Biden’s Secretary of Defence, Lloyd Austin, hosted their counterparts in the Government of India, S Jaishankar and Rajnath Singh, for the fourth round of 2+2 ministerial dialogue. “Times have changed. Today we are able and willing to be a partner of choice with India across virtually every realm – commerce, technology, education, and security.”

Read | Can't be 'business as usual' for Russia at G20: US

The 2+2 dialogue was preceded by a virtual meeting between Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The back-to-back high-level engagement took place even as India’s refusal to toe the Biden Administration’s line and its policy of avoiding directly criticizing Russia for its aggression against Ukraine turned into an irritant in its ties with the US.

Blinken and Austin conveyed to Jaishankar and Singh that the US understood that India and Russia shared decades-old relations, particularly in the defence and technology sectors. They, however, stressed that India should now expand its relations with the US too, especially in the key areas.

Jaishankar defended India’s decision to import oil from Russia, notwithstanding the sanctions imposed by the US and other western nations on the former Soviet Union nation in response to its military aggression against Ukraine.

“We do buy some energy (from Russia) which is necessary for our energy security. But, I suspect, looking at the figures, probably our (India’s) total (oil) purchases for the month would be less than what Europe does in an afternoon,” the External Affairs Minister said. He was replying to a question from a journalist on India’s oil purchase from Russia.

Also Read | Not in India's interest to increase Russian energy imports, Biden to PM Modi

The Biden Administration of late not-so-subtly conveyed to New Delhi its displeasure over India's discussion with Russia to explore ways to continue bilateral trade circumventing the sanctions the US and the other western nations imposed on President Vladimir Putin's nation.

Blinken, however, said that India would not be violating the US sanctions if it continued to import oil from Russia.

“I’d just note that there are carve-outs (in the sanctions) for energy purchases,” the US Secretary of State said. “Of course, we’re encouraging countries not to purchase additional energy supplies from Russia.”

He said that every country was differently situated and had different needs and requirements. “But we’re looking to allies and partners not to increase their purchases of Russian energy.”

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