US highlights growing ties with India; seeks support on Ukraine

The remarks by Vedant Patel, State Department's Principal Deputy Spokesperson, came on Thursday in response to a question on PM Narendra Modi's recent meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

Washington: The US wants India to support its efforts to realise an enduring and just peace for Ukraine, the State Department has said, highlighting bilateral cooperation with New Delhi on several key areas.

The remarks by Vedant Patel, State Department's Principal Deputy Spokesperson, came on Thursday in response to a question on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

"India continues to be a country...we partner with on a number of key areas, and that was clearly on display last summer when we hosted Prime Minister Modi for a state visit.

"But beyond that, in the context of Ukraine and Russia’s ongoing aggression and its infringement on Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, we continue to ask all our partners, including India, to support efforts to realise an enduring and just peace for Ukraine," Patel said.

The State Department also asked Russia to withdraw troops from Ukraine’s sovereign territory.

Modi was in Russia from July 8-9 for the 22nd India-Russia annual summit that has been watched closely by the West amidst the raging Ukraine conflict.

This was Modi's first visit to Russia since the war started between Moscow and Kyiv in 2022.

During his talks with Putin on July 9, Prime Minister Modi told President Putin that a solution to the Ukraine conflict is not possible on the battlefield and peace efforts do not succeed amid bombs and bullets.

India has been stoutly defending its "special and privileged strategic partnership" with Russia and maintained the momentum in the ties notwithstanding the Ukraine conflict.

India has not yet condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and has consistently pitched for a resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.