US keeps urging India to vote for Ukraine in UN: diplomat

Washington: Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Donald Lu, said on Wednesday that the United States government continue engaging with India to highlight the importance of collective response condemning Russian invasion into Ukraine, PTI reported.

Lu was to members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee after India abstained from a poll on the UB General Assembly resolution.

During the vote, India justified its decision not to vote that it wished to explore the possibility of a diplomatic solution. It is also concerned about the war inside Ukraine while 18,000 students are stranded there.

Lu presented before the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism on the issue of "India US relationship" that the US's relationship with India is a partnership that determines the security of Asia, the US and the world.

He reminded US lawmakers of India's traditional and historical relationship with Russia. However, Lu added that India had reduced arms imports from Russia by 53 per cent since 2011, while increased purchases from the US and other partners and boosted its own domestic production. Indian defence purchases from the US reached over 20 billion US dollars, and the former is considering buying another six P-8 maritime surveillance aircraft for 2.1 million, Lu said.

Defending New Delhi's position on Russia, Lu said that the US administration has been in high-level dialogue with New Delhi relentlessly.

Lu said that the death of an Indian student Kharkiv attacks had turned the public opinion in India against Russia. "Let me say that all of us have been working to urge India to take a clear position opposing Russia's actions," he said.

Also, he said that they are in touch with Indian leaders, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for the end of fighting at Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The US had put much effort in urging India to vote and in favour of Ukraine, he said