The "strategic alliance" between the United States and India has evident fissures after declining to denounce Russia's invasion of Ukraine at the UN and New Delhi's purchase of oil from the nation.
From the start of the conflict in Ukraine, there has been a direct confrontation between Russia and the west, and the situation has gotten to the point where other nations must choose a side: either with the west or Russia.
India, which has a strategic partnership with the US, did not support the west despite efforts on the part of the US to persuade India on two matters: condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine and stop India from purchasing Russian oil, according to an article published in Eurasia Review by a senior research fellow at a think tank.
India has taken a neutral stance against Ukraine on the one hand, while continuing to purchase Russian oil on the other, frustrating the US and painting India as an unreliable partner.
US President Joseph Biden (left) with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The West, led by the US, put severe sanctions on Russia as a result of its invasion of Ukraine. The fact that the majority of European nations relied on Russian oil and gas presented a challenge, though. In statements from the White House at the beginning of March, which was also the second week of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, President Biden declared: "We're prohibiting all imports of Russian oil, petrol, and energy." That implies that Russian oil will no longer be permitted in US ports, and the American people will inflict Putin's war machine yet another devastating blow.
In a similar vein, Washington persuaded the European Union and other European allies to impose sanctions on Russia's economy in addition to reducing Russian oil imports.
Also, the US submitted a resolution to the UN General Assembly in early March in an effort to exert pressure on Russia. Even though the resolution was approved, a few nations chose not to participate in the vote. India was one of the nations that voted against.
India, a key ally of the US, was requested by the latter to denounce the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, but India declined.
Similar to China, the US has repeatedly urged India not to buy Russian oil, but India has continued to do so. Russia earns a sizable sum of money from the daily import of 600,000 barrels of oil by India, which goes to the Russian exchequer.
5.204 SRY