Modi says ties with US 'defining partnership' of the century

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Joe Biden in Washington during his state visit Thursday.

Modi travelled to Washington DC at the invitation of the US president, becoming only the third leader to be afforded a formal state visit by Biden. Modi was greeted with a colourful ceremony on the White House South Lawn, where thousands gathered to listen to the two leaders, reported Deutsche Welle.

The Indian prime minister had a busy schedule, holding bilateral talks with Biden, followed by a joint press conference; after that, he gave an hourlong speech to lawmakers in the US Congress.

What did Modi say to the US Congress?

Modi told the members of the US Congress that the hesitations of history were behind them and he was "here to speak about the calling for this century".

A lot has changed since Modi last visited years ago, but the commitment to "deepen the friendship between India and the US" remains the same.

He drew applause from the chamber as he told US lawmakers that "I can relate to the battles of passion, persuasion and policy... But I am delighted to see you come together today to celebrate the bond between the world's two greatest democracies: India and the United States."

"I agree with President Biden that this is a defining partnership of this century," Modi said.

He called for the reform of multilateral institutions and for the African Union to get a permanent seat at the G20.

What happened in the joint press conference?

Following talks in the Oval Office, the two leaders held a joint news conference that had been the subject of intense negotiations between American and Indian officials. It was only Biden who called on reporters, reported CNN.

It was a rare event for Modi, who has only granted isolated interviews since taking office nine years ago and has not yet held a solo press conference.

During the talks, Biden said the two leaders discussed "close collaboration," as well as Russia's war in Ukraine.

Modi said India was prepared to help resolve the conflict any way it can, adding that Delhi laid an emphasis on the "resolution of disputes through dialogue and diplomacy."

The two leaders also emphasised Ukraine's "territorial integrity" in a joint statement. India has not joined the Western sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, and instead bought discounted Russian oil.

The Indian premier said peace in the Indo-Pacific region is a priority. He added separately that strict actions were needed to resolve "cross-border terrorism."

Modi takes reporters' questions in remarkable moment

Indian PM Modi, for one of the only times since he assumed power, also responded to a question about his crackdowns on dissent and treatment of religious minorities, reported CNN.

"There's absolutely no space for discrimination," Modi said through a translator. 'When you talk of democracy, if there are no human values and there is no humanity, there are no human rights, then it's not a democracy."

It was a remarkable moment for a leader who rarely holds news conferences, takes questions from the press or sits for international interviews. Press freedom groups say he's overseen a crackdown on reporting.

The format of the news conference was only agreed upon after lengthy, delicate negotiations between the two sides. Indian officials initially baulked at the White House's insistence at holding one, two US officials familiar with the matter said.

Biden, in his own answer on Modi's human rights record, underscored the shared values between the US and India.

"The prime minister and I had a good discussion about democratic values," he said. "That's the nature of our relationship, we're straightforward with each other and we respect each other."

"I believe that we believe in the dignity of every citizen, and it is in American's DNA, and I believe in India's DNA," the president told reporters Thursday, adding that the two countries' commitment to democracy "makes us appealing partners and enables us to expand democratic institutions across around the world."

An important international relationship

As he welcomed Modi to the White House earlier in the day, Biden sought to underscore the importance of shared values in the relationship moving forward, according to a CNN report.

"As democracies, we can better tap into the full talent of all of our people, and attract investments as true and trusted partners as leading nations, with our greatest export being the power of our example," Biden said from a podium on the South Lawn. "Equity under the law, freedom of expression, religious pluralism and the diversity of our people. These core principles have endured and evolved even as they have faced challenges throughout each of our nation's histories and fuel our strength, depth and future."

The meetings Thursday produced agreements on technology and defence cooperation and highlighted Biden's efforts to shore up relationships in a region grappling with an increasingly aggressive Beijing, reported CNN.

Also up for discussion was Russia's continuing war in Ukraine, a conflict on which India has not taken a definitive side. New Delhi's continued purchase of Russian oil has helped prop up Moscow amid withering global sanctions.

"Fundamentally, we believe that the long-term trajectory of the US-India relationship is built on the notion that two democracies with shared value systems ought to be able to work together," US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told a group of reporters ahead of the visit.

"That's a long view. That's a view rooted in our bet on the relationship between the people of the United States of America and the people of India," Sullivan continued. "Part of what will be lifted up and celebrated in this visit will be those deep people and people ties."

US and EU to court Brazil and India on Ukraine's peace blueprint

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised Thursday to work towards "peace" in Ukraine, on a visit to Washington which has hoped for New Delhi to break with Russia, reported AFP.

"From the very beginning of the events in Ukraine, India has put an emphasis on resolution of disputes, dialogue and diplomacy," Modi told reporters alongside President Joe Biden.

"We are completely ready to contribute in any way we can to restore peace."

Senior US and European Union officials will gather over the weekend with diplomats from several countries in the so-called global south in an effort to engage key nations that have remained mostly neutral in the face of Russia's war in Ukraine, according to a Bloomberg report.

The meeting, which will take place in Denmark, is expected to include envoys from South Africa, Brazil and India, as well as US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's chief of staff and a senior Ukrainian official, according to people familiar with the matter.

China has yet to confirm whether it will attend and the full list of participants hasn't been finalised, one of the people said. Brazil will be represented by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's chief diplomatic adviser, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans are private.

Although the meeting, which was first reported by the Financial Times, is not expected to have a formal agenda, one of the main aims of the gathering will be to discuss Volodymyr Zelenskyy's peace formula and the Ukrainian president's effort to hold a global summit on the proposals, one of the people said.

Several other nations including South Africa, Brazil and China have also in recent weeks pitched their own proposals and diplomatic efforts to settle the war.

The meeting in Denmark comes as Ukraine's counteroffensive to take back occupied territory has made slow initial progress, with Russian defensive lines stuck in and Kyiv mainly focused on testing those lines while targeting Russia's artillery and other supplies.

Kyiv has been pushing to hold a global meeting on the proposed points but key allies have been reluctant to set a firm date without broader buy-in from other countries, the people said.

Engagement with the global south was a key goal of a Group of Seven summit that took place in Japan in May, where Zelenskyy also met with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Still, India and other countries in the BRICS grouping — which includes Brazil, China, South Africa as well as Russia – have not joined EU and US sanctions against Moscow. Some have provided President Vladimir Putin with varying levels of support and stayed mostly neutral.

Biden and Modi praise 'friendship'

During a ceremony to formally kick off the state visit, Biden said he "long believed the relationship between the United States and India... will be one of the defining relationships of the 21st century," reported Deutsche Welle.

Biden praised "the limitless possibilities of our two countries" and described the US and India as "two great nations, two great friends, two great powers."

He called religious pluralism a "core principle for India."

Modi then thanked Biden "for his friendship" and said it is an "honour and pride for 1.4 billion [in India] and 1.4 million people of Indian origin living in the US." He said the Indian community was the "real strength" of their ties.

Modi added that in a post-pandemic future, "the world order is taking new shape. In this time period, the friendship between India and US will be instrumental in enhancing the strength of the whole world."

He said the strong strategic partnership between the two countries was clear proof of "the power of democracy" and that he was "deeply grateful" for an opportunity to address the US Congress later in the day.