Joe Biden’s remarks on India’s response to Ukraine’s invasion mask the complete truth
How to interpret President Joe Biden terming India’s response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine as “shaky”? His remarks came in the midst of him hailing the strong condemnation of Russia by Japan and Australia, with the exception of India “being somewhat shaky on some of this”. This is the second time that he has singled out India. Last month he said “we haven’t resolved that completely” when asked why India’s stand is not in sync with his. Is there a note of caution in Biden’s latest statement? Or is it exasperation or a grudging recognition of India’s geopolitical reality? It is not as if India has stuck out on its own on the matter of Russia, doggedly pursuing a lone-star course of action. Yes, India did abstain from the votes on the Security Council and United Nations resolutions condemning Russia. Indian refiners have since floated tenders to buy discounted oil from Russia. But India has also openly supported Ukraine, is sending medical and emergency aid to that country, insisted on respecting territorial integrity and has pushed the cause of diplomacy to end the conflict. India is simply trying to put its national interest first while trying to stay true to its long-standing relationships with both Russia and the United States. It has done everything short of openly condemning Russia. And that makes it stand out. It began with the recent Quad meeting when the Russian threat to Ukraine was raised.
On its part, India underlined that Quad must focus on its core objective of promoting peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The Quad joint statement did not mention Russia at all, an indication that unanimity eluded the members. Prime Minister Narendra Modi subsequently had a virtual meeting with his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison, who is said to have understood the reasons for India’s stand on the conflict. Modi also met Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida who unequivocally flayed Russia. At the same time, in a signed article, he linked Quad with Ukraine: “…we concurred that any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo by force, such as this time, must not be tolerated in the Indo-Pacific region.” Did he also hint at China and the Ladakh situation in the context of the Indo-Pacific? If so, it means there is an unlettered understanding between all Quad members on what the context is for Kishida’s phrase, to “change the status quo by force”. It applies as much to Ukraine as to Ladakh. It also underlines India’s empathy for Ukraine notwithstanding its singular stand on Russia. The US understands the importance of India for Quad in the Indo-Pacific and that even if they do differ on Russia, their relationship is deep and resilient. Or else, someone would have asked by now where the world’s democracies were when China entered Ladakh. For now, however, that does not mean the pressure has eased on India to take a stronger stand against Russia.