India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has asked the US to be "mindful" of the state's longstanding and large relationship with Russia, as it reacted to criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent bilateral visit to Moscow in the US Congress.
"This pertains to the comments made in the US Congress. You must understand that India has a longstanding relationship with Russia, that is based on mutuality of interests. In a multipolar world, all countries have a freedom of choice," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a regular news briefing in New Delhi on Thursday.
Jaiswal stated that it was "essential for everybody to be mindful of and appreciate such realities".
The "thrust" of the Prime Minister Modi's meeting with President Vladimir Putin at the 22nd Annual Summit was on the economic aspects of the relationship, MEA spokesperson sressed. He noted, that both the leaders discussed the proposed India-Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) free trade agreement (FTA), negotiations for which formally kicked off in March.
The comments by the office came after Donald Lu, the US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, told that the Biden administration was "disappointed" with the Indian Prime Minister over his Russia visit.
"I could not agree with you more about our disappointment about the symbolism and the timing of Prime Minister Modi's trip to Moscow. We are having those tough conversations with our Indian friends," Lu told US Congress members during the hearing.
Lu said that Washington was looking "very carefully" at the outcomes of the Modi-Putin meeting in Moscow, including in spheres of defence and technology.