Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval and his US counterpart, Jake Sullivan, engaged in extensive discussions on Friday, addressing a broad spectrum of “bilateral, regional, and international concerns.” This conversation occurs amidst Washington’s displeasure over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Russia.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that Doval and Sullivan covered various critical issues, including upcoming high-level engagements under the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) framework, set for July 2024. While specifics were not provided, the US State Department and the Pentagon have expressed unease regarding Modi’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin, where Modi emphasized that solutions cannot be achieved on the battlefield.
The MEA readout highlighted that “the NSAs agreed to work closely to further advance India-US relations, which are built on shared values and common strategic and security interests.” Additionally, they reiterated the necessity of collective efforts to address global peace and security challenges and to further expand the Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.
The foreign ministers of the Quad grouping are expected to convene in Tokyo on July 28, as per sources familiar with the matter. The US side has conveyed its frustration regarding Modi’s Russia visit both in New Delhi and Washington. US Ambassador Eric Garcetti, speaking at a conclave on the India-US defense partnership, underscored that strategic autonomy cannot be applied during conflicts and emphasized the need for India and the US to uphold principles when countries violate the rules-based order or sovereign borders.
Garcetti’s remarks were perceived as a subtle critique of Modi’s Russia visit, particularly since it coincided with the NATO Summit in Washington, further highlighting the tensions between strategic autonomy and alliance commitments during global conflicts.
