New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that India and US are natural partners as they are two of the biggest democracies in the world. In a virtual interaction with US President Joe Biden this evening, Mr Modi said, the talks are being held at a time when the situation in Ukraine remains worrisome. He said that till a few weeks ago, more than 20 thousand Indians were stranded in Ukraine and most of them were young students.
The Prime Minister also said that India placed importance on the safety of the civilian population in Ukraine and the uninterrupted supply of humanitarian aid to them including medicines and relief materials. He informed that on the demand of Ukraine, India is sending another consignment of medicines very soon.
Mr Modi stated that the recent killings of innocent civilians in Bucha city of Ukraine was very disturbing. He pointed out that India condemned it and demanded a fair investigation. The Prime Minister hoped that the ongoing talks between Russia and Ukraine will pave the way for peace.
The Prime Minister said, he spoke on the phone several times with the Presidents of Ukraine and Russia and appealed for peace. He said, he also suggested President Vladimir Putin have direct talks with the President of Ukraine. He further stated that the subject of Ukraine has also been discussed in great detail in Indian Parliament.
Mr Modi praised President Biden for giving a very important slogan at the very beginning of his tenure – Democracies can Deliver. He said, success of India-US partnership is the best way to make this slogan meaningful. He said, he agreed with US President Joe Biden that India-US partnership can contribute to the solution of many global problems.
The Prime Minister said, India is celebrating 75 years of independence and in the next 25 years, Indo-US relations will play an important role. He thanked President Biden for taking the initiative for this virtual interaction.
In his opening remarks, US President Joe Biden said, India and US are two vibrant democracies that share a strong and growing major defence partnership. He said, continued consultation and dialogue are key to ensuring that India – US partnership continues to grow stronger.