PM Modi Speaks To President Joe Biden, Says, "Committed To Rules-Based Order"

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden on Monday discussed their shared priorities and emphasised their commitment to a rules-based international order in their first phone conversation since the American leader assumed office.

The phone call between the two leaders was part of the formal contacts between the new US administration and India’s top leadership that began last month.

“Spoke to @POTUS @JoeBiden and conveyed my best wishes for his success. We discussed regional issues and our shared priorities. We also agreed to further our co-operation against climate change,” Modi said in a tweet.

“President @JoeBiden and I are committed to a rules-based international order. We look forward to consolidating our strategic partnership to further peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond,” he added.

According to a readout from the White House, Biden “underscored his desire to defend democratic institutions and norms around the world and noted that a shared commitment to democratic values is the bedrock for the US-India relationship”.

The readout further said the two leaders committed that the US and India will work “closely together to win the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, renew their partnership on climate change, rebuild the global economy in a way that benefits the people of both countries, and stand together against the scourge of global terrorism”.

The leaders agreed to continue close cooperation to promote a “free and open Indo-Pacific”, including support for freedom of navigation, territorial integrity and a “stronger regional architecture through the Quad”, the white House said.

Modi and Biden “resolved that the rule of law and the democratic process must be upheld in Burma”, the White House said. The leaders also agreed to stay in close touch on a range of global challenges and “look forward to what the United States and India will achieve together for their people and for their nations”, it added.

Modi had earlier congratulated Biden on his election on November 8. They also spoke on phone on November 17, when they exchanged views on working together on “shared priorities and global challenges”.

External affairs minister S Jaishankar and his new US counterpart Antony Blinken had spoken on phone on January 29 and pledged to expand the strategic partnership between the two countries and to work for peace and security in the Indo-Pacific.

Earlier, US defence secretary Lloyd Austin spoke to defence minister Rajnath Singh and US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan talked to his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval, with the two sides committing themselves to enhanced cooperation on defence and security issues and in the Indo-Pacific region.

Jaishankar and Blinken had declared their commitment to consolidate and expand the multi-faceted strategic partnership between the two sides. They had also discussed the challenges of a post-Covid world and agreed to work together to address global issues, including safe and affordable vaccine supply.