Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Joe Biden met in New Delhi on Friday to strengthen the partnership between their two countries. This marked their second bilateral meeting in less than six months. The leaders issued a joint statement highlighting the various areas of collaboration, including strategic technology value chains, defense industries, renewable and nuclear energy, climate financing, and cancer research.
One important aspect of their discussions was the reaffirmation of the importance of the Quad, an informal security alignment between Australia, India, Japan, and the U.S., aimed at supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Modi and Biden also expressed their appreciation for the progress made since Modi’s visit to Washington in June 2023.
The timing of this meeting was significant as both Russia and China decided to skip the G20 leaders’ summit. This raised concerns about the ability to reach a binding agreement among member states due to objections from Russia and China regarding the reference to Russia’s war in Ukraine. India and the U.S. aim to present themselves as an alternative to China for countries in the Global South, particularly amid shifting global geopolitical alliances.
The G20 summit holds particular importance for Modi, who is using the event to showcase India’s geopolitical importance ahead of next year’s national elections. The summit’s agenda includes the expected admission of the African Union as an official G20 member, further emphasizing India’s focus on elevating the Global South’s role and fostering inclusive growth.
Despite the absence of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, India and the U.S. hope to persuade member states and other observers from the Global South that they represent a more viable proposition in areas such as food security and debt resolution. The joint statement by Biden and Modi reiterated their commitment to the G20 and their confidence in the summit’s outcomes.
It is worth noting that while Putin has an obvious reason for not attending the summit due to an International Criminal Court warrant for his arrest for war crimes in Ukraine, Xi’s absence raises speculation about his motivations. Despite rarely traveling abroad, Xi has recently hosted several visiting dignitaries in Beijing. On the other hand, India’s relations with China have frayed, as India, along with other countries, criticized China for claiming contested territories in a new national map.
The deepening partnership between India and the U.S. comes at a time when American companies are looking to diversify their supply chains away from China. This presents an opportunity for India to attract investment as the U.S. seeks to limit strategic technology transfers to China. Modi and Biden envision a mutually beneficial partnership that serves the interests of their people and contributes to a free, open, inclusive, and resilient Indo-Pacific region.