US sees a subtle shift in India's position on Ukraine, says official

United States has experienced a subtle shift in India's position on Ukraine and Russia, Biden ministration said on Wednesday, on eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's high-level talks with President Joe Biden at White House.

Since Ukraine conflict began in February last year, Modi spoke to Russian President Vlimir Putin as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a number of times during which he insisted that conflict should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.

"What you have seen in last several months is a subtle shift in Indian position on war in Ukraine that started last summer, almost a year ago in August with Prime Minister Modi saying to President Putin to his face … that now is not era for war,” a senior State Department official told reporters.

In September, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said at UN that war must be ended through diplomacy and according to UN Charter and its founding principles. This is a way of saying what US has always said from beginning based on territorial integrity and sovereignty, said official.

And n in October of last year, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said threat to use nuclear weapons is inconsistent with basic tenets of humanity. "se are pretty strong statements," official said.

"While in West, I'm not sure we re it exactly same way in India, that was seen as a very clear shift. You have seen Prime Minister Modi speaking to President Zelensky at G-7 summit in Hiroshima and recommitting that this conflict must be settled through diplomacy and dialogue,” said official, who spoke with reporters on conditions of anonymity.

India, official said, has a long history of relations with Russia. y have interests with Russia that go back many, many deces.

"It is a positive thing that Prime Minister Modi has said and repeated that this must be settled through dialogue and diplomacy. I think you'll see that again honestly, that this is now a very established part of Indian policy. What I think you'll also see is that while US and India differ about our exact policies on Russia and Ukraine, we share a belief that this must be dealt, this must be settled through diplomacy and this must end in a lasting piece according to UN charter and its founding principles which are territorial integrity and sovereignty,” official said.

That's a common position of India in United States, official ded.

Responding to a question, official said India will make its own decisions about wher it purchases oil from Russia.

"As you know, re are no sanctions on purchase of Russian oil. re are restrictions by G-7 countries about buying oil at a certain price, Russia oil price cap. And so we hope that India will continue to use G-7 oil price cap to leverage lower costs for Russian oil that it purchases. That's in interest of all of us that it buys Russian crude at rock bottom prices,” said official.