Rosso said Modi would like the Biden administration to focus more on the Indian Ocean region as it recalibrates its Indo-Pacific policy.
Rosso said, India’s concern is that “the United States is overly focused on Taiwan, the South China Sea, the East China Sea, the Pacific Islands.” “And there is not nearly enough attention to the Indian Ocean region. And this is where India now sees its primary security concerns looming.”
The White House has tried to play down Biden and Modi’s differences over Russia’s war in Ukraine. India abstained from voting on a UN resolution condemning Russia and refused to join the global coalition against Russia. Since the start of the war, the Modi government has dramatically increased purchases of Russian oil.
Biden’s effort to bring India closer has been hit by concerns from activists and some US lawmakers about India’s human rights record under Modi’s watch.
Modi has faced criticism over legislation amending the country’s citizenship law, which allows faster naturalization for some immigrants but excludes Muslims, increased violence against Muslims and other religious minorities by Hindu nationalists, and India’s top opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has faced criticism over his recent conviction. ,To make fun of Modi’s surname.
India is also ranked 161st out of 180 countries in this year’s Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders.