Biden Won't Lecture Modi On Human Rights: White House After Legislators Urge US Prez To Broach Topic

The Biden administration views this gathering as an opportunity to strengthen what they consider to be "one of the defining partnerships of our age"

File photo of PM Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden.

Source : Getty Images

US President Joe Biden is set to host Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a two-day meeting starting on Wednesday. The meeting comes on the heels of a letter signed by around 70 legislators of the US Senate and House of Representatives, calling on Biden to take up the issue of "human rights violations" in India with PM Modi. Despite the ongoing concerns over the alleged human rights violations, Biden will not bring up the issue with PM Modi, said the White House. 

The Biden administration views this gathering as an opportunity to strengthen what they consider to be "one of the defining partnerships of our age", reported news agency Reuters. The United States aims to position India as a strategic counterbalance to China, while PM Modi seeks to enhance his country's influence on the global stage, given its status as the world's most populous nation.

During their meeting, Biden and Modi are expected to announce several agreements covering defence cooperation, sales, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and investments in India by companies like Micron Technology and other US firms.

Even if Biden raises concerns about democratic regression in India, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said that he will not "lecture Modi" on the matter, the Reuters report stated. Sullivan explained that when the US identifies challenges to press freedom, religious freedom, or other liberties, they express their views, but they do so without seeking to lecture or deny their own challenges. Sullivan highlighted the fact that the future of Indian politics and democratic institutions will ultimately be determined by Indians themselves, rather than the United States.

US President Biden is facing pressure even from fellow Democrats to address human rights issues during his meeting with PM Modi. However, the Indian Prime Minister has received a warm reception from US CEOs. He even met Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk in New York on Tuesday.

Both Biden and Modi are contending with China's assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. Although the visit is not primarily focused on China, discussions regarding China's role in the military, technology, and economic domains will be on the agenda.

Sullivan expressed confidence that the Biden-Modi meeting would cover substantive discussions on a range of strategic issues and yield tangible progress, underscoring the significance of the partnership between the two countries.

Modi's itinerary includes a visit to the National Science Foundation alongside First Lady of the US Jill Biden, followed by a private dinner with President Biden at the White House on Wednesday night. On Thursday, Modi will be greeted with a vibrant arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House. Biden and Modi will hold talks in the Oval Office and attend a state dinner in the latter's honour on Thursday. A joint press conference, however, hasn't been scheduled yet.

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