PM Modi, Biden to hold 'constructive & straightforward' talks on Ukraine war: US NSA

As US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are set to meet in Japan to hold the fourth Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) summit, the two counterparts will conduct talks on the sidelines of the summit about the ongoing war in Ukraine. Washington may convince India to have a more assertive stance against Russia and the talks between Biden and PM Modi will be "constructive and straightforward," US national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters as President Biden ended his South Korea visit during the first leg of his 5-day Asia tour, and flew to Japan.

Bilateral talks between the Indian and the American leader "will not be a new conversation" since both Biden and Modi have spoken by phone about the Ukrainain crisis and New Delhi's response. India's stance about the war has been made clear to Washington. "It will definitely be a continuation of that conversation," Sullivan told reporters. "They’ll talk all of that through. India is a major purchaser of Russian arms, and has been wary of distancing itself from Moscow amid the war in Ukraine," Sullivan emphasized.

“We believe that this summit will demonstrate both in substance and in vision that democracies can deliver and that these four nations working together will defend and uphold the principles of a free and open Indo-Pacific,” US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters at the White House briefing in Washington DC.

'Discussion on issues pertaining to Indo-Pacific region'

While in Tokyo on May 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to focus on strengthening the India-US Strategic Partnership and have a follow-up discussion held with President Biden in September 2021 during the virtual meeting in Washington DC. "At the invitation of Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in the third Quad Leaders' Summit in Tokyo on 24 May 2022 along with President Joseph R Biden Jr. of the US and the Prime Minister of Australia," the MEA said in an official confirmation statement about the Prime Minister's Tokyo visit.

The two counterparts [Biden, and Prime Minister Modi] will exchange views, progress and issues pertaining to the Indo-Pacific region and globe. Prime Minister's schedule involves 23 engagements, which includes the meetings with the three world leaders during his estimated 40 hours of stay in Tokyo. US President Joe Biden will also unveil the ambitious economic initiative for the Indo Pacific region, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), aimed at countering China's growing economic regional influence.

The framework will involve arragements such as “setting the rules of the digital economy to ensuring secure and resilient supply chains to managing the energy transition to investing in clean, modern high standards infrastructure”.

“On security and economics, on technology and energy, on investment in infrastructure, we think this trip is going to put on full display President Biden’s Indo-Pacific strategy and that it will show in living colour that the United States can at once lead the free world in responding to Russia’s war in Ukraine, and at the same time, chart a course for effective, principled American leadership and engagement in a region that will define much of the future of the 21st century,” US NSA Jake Sullivan said at the White House briefing. 

Mr Modi is expected to hold discussions about range of diplomatic and business related topics with his American counterpart President Joe Biden, newly elected prime minister of Australia Anthony Albanese and Japanese counterpart Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. PM Modi will also address one-to-one the Indian diaspora, as well as business CEOs in Japan. Prime minister and Australia's Albanese will also review India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on the sidelines of the upcoming summit. "The last bilateral meeting between the two prime ministers was held virtually on March 21 followed by the signing of the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade on April 2," the Ministry of External Affairs of India said in a statement.