WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared on Thursday that the partnership between the two democracies would define the next century, as Washington seeks a counterweight to China and dismisses claims of rising authoritarianism in New Delhi.
As Biden extended out the red carpet for Modi’s only third state visit of his presidency, the two countries signed enormous accords on fighter jet engines, semiconductor investment, and space collaboration. With thousands of Indian-Americans screaming his name on the White House’s South Lawn, Modi walked a red carpet to a gun salute while wearing a flowing white kurta and a sky-blue jacket.
Biden stated that he has always believed that the US-India relationship will be one of the most defining ties of the twenty-first century. Modi, India’s most powerful prime minister in decades, said the visit provided a “new direction and new energy” to the bilateral relationship.
Later, in an address to both chambers of Congress, Modi plainly referenced to US concerns about China while supporting a “free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific,” a favorite phrase of the US. According to Modi, the Indo-Pacific is shadowed by black coercion and confrontation clouds.
Defending record on rights
Indian-American supporters broke protocol by chanting Modi’s name during the address, although at least six Democrats left the event, citing Modi’s human rights record. Biden brushed down the concerns, calling religious plurality a “core principle” for both India and the United States and stating that democratic norms “face challenges around the world and in each of our countries.”
According to Biden, the entire world is invested in their success, and the preservation of our democracy makes them enticing partners. Modi, who was the state leader of Gujarat a decade ago and was barred from entering the US due to religious unrest, defended his record in a rare open press interaction for the typically scripted prime minister. Criticizing those who doubt India’s democratic character, Modi stated, “There is absolutely no place for discrimination, regardless of caste, creed, religion, or gender.”
Since Modi’s election in 2014, India has passed a contentious citizenship law, revoked the special status of Muslim-majority Kashmir, and seen an increase in violence against minorities, according to a US State Department report, with inflammatory rhetoric from members of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. Modi has also drawn criticism over police raids on media outlets and the removal of the opposition leader from parliament.
