India a strategic partner, says US in backdrop of PM Modi's Russia visit

India is a strategic partner with whom it engages in a full and frank dialogue, the United States said on Monday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

"India is a strategic partner with whom we engage in a full and frank dialogue. And that includes our concerns about their relationship with Russia," State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said.

He was responding to questions on Modi's Moscow visit for bilateral talks with Putin.

"We did just see Modi, like (Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor) Orban, meet with (Ukrainian) President (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy. We thought that was an important step to take. And we would urge India, as we do any country when it engages with Russia, to make clear that any resolution to the conflict in Ukraine needs to be one that respects the UN charter, that respects Ukraine's territorial integrity, Ukraine's sovereignty," Miller said.

"I will look to Prime Minister Modi's public remarks to see what he talked about. But as I said, we made quite clear directly with India our concerns about their relationship with Russia. So we would hope India and any other country, when they engage with Russia, would make clear that Russia should respect the UN charter, should respect Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said in response to a question.

Putin on Monday night welcomed Modi at his official residence at Novo-Ogaryovo for a "private engagement" during which he praised the visiting Indian leader for the work he has done for the country's progress.

This is Modi's first trip to Russia since its invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago.