Separately, in response to questions by HT, a state department spokesperson said that Russia’s invasion should be “of deep concern” to all countries that believe in a “rules-based order”; the US was speaking to its allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific about economic sanctions and export controls vis-à-vis Russia; there had been no decision on waiver related to the Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) vis-à-vis India; and reiterated that the US would stay committed to the Indo-Pacific region.On Thursday, responding to a question on whether India was in sync with the US position on Ukraine, Biden said, “We are in consultations with India today. We haven’t resolved that completely.” He made the remark at his press conference to outline the US’s response to Russia’s more, where, a little earlier, the US president had said that Russian president Vladimir Putin’s aggression will end up costing Russia dearly. “We will make sure of that. Putin will be a pariah on the international stage. Any nation that countenances Russia’s naked aggression against Ukraine will be stained by association.”A little later, EAM Jaishankar first tweeted that he appreciated receiving a call from Blinken, where they discussed the ongoing developments in Ukraine and its implications. Blinken, who held a series of conversations with counterparts from allies and partner countries, then tweeted that he had spoken to the Indian foreign minister about the importance of a “strong collective response to Russian aggression”.“Russia’s attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is a clear violation of the rules-based international order.”In bilateral statements, as well as their consultations as a part of Quad, both India and the US have emphasised the need to preserve the “rules-based international order”. While Delhi has been keen to distinguish between the situation in Indo-Pacific and the one that is currently playing out in the Europe, the West has sought to frame the two as a matter of common principles. The emphasis on “collective response” is being read in the context of ongoing discussions between the US and India at the United Nations Security Council over a resolution condemning Russian actions.
When asked how the US viewed India’s position on Ukraine, including Delhi’s refusal to criticise Russia and emphasis on diplomacy and de-escalation, a state department spokesperson said, “We too are urging Russia to choose the path of diplomacy and de-escalation. But there can be no doubt that the invasion is, as the UNSG (United Nations Secretary-General) put it, ‘a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine’ that ‘conflicts directly with the principles of the charters of the United Nations’.”On whether the US was willing to give India space to continue its non-confrontational diplomatic stance vis a vis Russia, especially given the India-Russia defence relationship that assumed importance in the wake of Chinese aggression, the spokesperson said, “Russia’s invasion is a blatantly illegal violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. It should be of concern to all countries who believe, as we do, in a rules-based international order.”In response to a question on how the current situation affected the possibility of an executive waiver for India for its acquisition of the S-400 missile systems, the spokesperson said, “We have not yet made a determination under CAATSA with respect to this transaction. We continue to urge all countries, including India, to avoid major new transactions for Russian weapons systems.”
Asked about the US’s expectations from its partners in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly India, the spokesperson said, “The United States is consulting very closely with all of our global allies and partners, including those in the Indo-Pacific, on the consequences of Russian military incursions in Ukraine, including severe economic sanctions and export controls.”
At a time when there are apprehensions that the situation in Europe would distract the US from its commitment to the Indo-Pacific, when asked how this would affect US investment of resources in the region with regard to the competition from China, the spokesperson said, “The US is strongly committed to its partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region and our efforts to uphold a free, open, prosperous Indo-Pacific region, as outlined in the administration’s Indo-Pacific strategy.”While the difference in the US and Indian positions on Russia have been quite obvious, both sides have been restrained in airing it in public so far. In recent weeks, Ned Price, the state department spokesperson, has said that the relationship with India stands on its own merits, while Donald Lu, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, while acknowledging that the US and India have had an “open and honest” conversation on Ukraine, has said that it is a complex issue for both countries.
But Russia’s outright invasion complicates the situation. A person familiar with the bilateral relationship, however, emphasised, “Look, there are differences. But both countries have a way to manage those differences. At the highest levels, these differences are being discussed in a respectful manner, in public and private. We will find a way around this.”
