US Peeved at Modi-Putin Meeting as India, Russia Look to Deepen Ties

The US State Department has reacted to the informal meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin at the presidential residence on Monday.

"India is a strategic partner with whom we engage in a full and frank dialogue, and that includes on our concerns about the relationship with Russia," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told a briefing in Washington DC on Monday, barely hours after the Indian Prime Minister landed in Moscow to a red-carpet ceremonial welcome and a guard of honour at Vnukovo-II Internationl airport.

Modi was received at the airport by Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, who accompanied the Indian leader to his hotel.

Miller said that the meeting was an "important step" in the context of the Ukraine issue.

"And we would urge India, as we do any country when it engages with Russia, to make clear that any resolution to the conflict in Ukraine needs to be one that respects the UN Charter, that respects Ukraine's territorial integrity, Ukraine's sovereignty," the State Department official said.

Media reports quoting Indian government sources say that Modi told Putin during their informal talks that solution to the Ukraine conflict won't be found on the "battlefield". According to Economic Times, prime minister said that the Global South nations favour both Russia and Ukraine to be present on the negotiating table.

Modi Eyes Deeper Ties with Russia

New Delhi has maintained that Modi's visit is purely a bilateral affair meant to review and advance wide-ranging cooperation across sectors such as defence, energy, trade, investments, and connectivity among others.

Before departing New Delhi for Moscow on Monday, Prime Minister also said that the two sides would also share perspectives on various regional and global issues.

Upon landing in Moscow on Monday afternoon, Modi said that he was looking to further deepen the Russia-India Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership, particularly in "futuristic areas".

Later, Modi was received at Putin's presidential residence, or dacha in Novo-Ogaryovo near Moscow for an informal meeting.

The two leaders could be seen engaged in a free-wheeling conversation, at times even without their translators, according to videos of the duo posted by the Kremlin.

A readout of the meeting by the Kremlin quoted Putin as congratulating Modi on his re-election as Prime Minister for the third term.

The Russian President credited the Indian leader's victory to years of work as the head of the state's government.

"And the result is obvious: India confidently ranks third in the world in terms of economy. Probably, now the largest country in the world by population is 1.4 billion people," Putin told Modi.

Further, the Russian President highlighted that India's booming population was an indicator of the fact that people felt confident.

"This means that they feel confident, feel certain stability, which is very important," he stated.

He also pointed out that the 73-year-old leader had spent his entire life serving the people of India.

In turn, Modi expressed his gratitude to Putin for organising the "interesting" meeting at the presidential residence, and assured that he would be able to redouble efforts to serve the India during his third term, as his only goal is his country and its people.

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