Unprecedented Trust Between India, US: PM Modi In WSJ Interview

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that ties between India and the United States are stronger and deeper than ever, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.

"India deserves a much higher, deeper and wider profile and a role," PM Modi said in the interview, ahead of his visit to the US that is billed as a milestone in New Delhi and Washington bilateral ties.

"India's relationship with the U.S. has strengthened in recent years in part because of economic ties. Trade between the two countries reached a record $191 billion in 2022, making the U.S. India's largest trading partner. The U.S. is India's third-biggest source of foreign direct investment, and one of the top five destinations for investment from India," the report said.

"Let me be clear that we do not see India as supplanting any country. We see this process as India gaining its rightful position in the world... The world today is more interconnected and interdependent than ever before. To create resilience, there should be more diversification in supply chains," the WSJ report quoted the PM as saying.

PM Modi said he believes that India is working towards securing its rightful position on the global stage, particularly during a time of significant geopolitical instability.

PM Modi on Russia-Ukraine war

PM Modi has said that India's stance on Russia in the Ukraine conflict has not faced widespread criticism in the United States.

"All countries should respect international law and the sovereignty of countries," he said. Disputes should be resolved with diplomacy and dialogue, not war, he added.

PM Modi said he has spoken several times to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He said he recently spoke to Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Japan in May.

"India will do whatever it can" and supports "all genuine efforts to bring an end to the conflict and ensure enduring peace and stability", he said.

PM Modi on India's UNSC membership

In his interview to The Wall Street Journal, PM Modi said global institutions such as the UN must change.

"Look at the membership of key institutions -- does it truly represent the voice of democratic values?" "A place like Africa -- does it have a voice? India has such a huge population and is a bright spot in the global economy, but is it present?" he said.

On India's desire to be part of the UN Security Council, the prime minister pointed to the country's role as a contributor of troops to peacekeeping operations around the world. There has to be an evaluation of the current membership of the council and the world should be asked if it wants India to be there, he said.

"Let me be clear that we do not see India as supplanting any country. We see this process as India gaining its rightful position in the world," PM Modi told the newspaper.

"The world today is more interconnected and interdependent than ever before. To create resilience, there should be more diversification in supply chains," he said.

PM Modi on ties with China

Speaking on ties with Beijing, PM Modi said "For normal bilateral ties with China, peace and tranquility in the border areas is essential. We have a core belief in respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity, observing the rule of law, and peaceful resolution of differences and disputes. At the same time, India is fully prepared and committed to protect its sovereignty and dignity."

"I am the first prime minister to be born in free India," PM Modi said. "And that's why my thought process, my conduct, what I say and do, is inspired and influenced by my country's attributes and traditions. I derive my strength from it."

"I present my country to the world as my country is, and myself, as I am," he said.

"Overall, Modi's message was that-from India's role in global politics to its contributions to the world economy-the country's time has come. He sought to portray New Delhi as the natural leader of the global South, in sync with and able to give voice to developing countries' long-neglected aspirations," said the WSJ report on the hour-long interview at the PM's official residence in New Delhi.