Biden calls India ‘shaky’ in Russia confrontation

US President Joe Biden said Monday (21 March) that India was an exception among Washington's allies with its "shaky" response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Biden lauded the US-led alliance, including NATO, the European Union and key Asian partners, for its united front against President Vladimir Putin.

This includes unprecedented sanctions aimed at crippling Russia's currency, international trade and access to high-tech goods.

However, unlike fellow members of the Quad group -- Australia, Japan and the United States -- India continues to purchase Russian oil and has refused to join votes condemning Moscow at the United Nations.

As West shuns Moscow, officials say India eyes more cheap Russian oil

India may take up a Russian offer to buy oil and other commodities at a discount, Indian officials said, in a sign that Delhi wants to keep its trading partner on board despite Western attempts to isolate Moscow through sanctions.

Addressing a meeting of US business leaders in Washington, Biden said there had been "a united front throughout NATO and in the Pacific."

"The Quad is, with the possible exception of India being somewhat shaky on some of this, but Japan has been extremely strong -- so has Australia -- in terms of dealing with Putin's aggression."

While the other Quad countries - the United States, Japan and Australia - have sanctioned Russian entities or people, India has not imposed sanction or even condemned Russia, its biggest supplier of military hardware.

Biden said that Putin was "counting on being able to split NATO" and instead, "NATO has never been stronger, more united, in its entire history than it is today."

Indian oil refiners have reportedly continued to purchase discounted Russian oil, even as the West seeks to isolate Moscow.

An Indian government official said last week that the world's third-biggest consumer of crude relies on imports for almost 85% of its needs, with Russia supplying a "marginal" less than one percent of this.

But "the jump in oil prices after the Ukraine conflict has now added to our challenges... India has to keep focusing on competitive energy sources," the official added.

New Delhi, which historically has had close ties with Moscow, called for an end to the violence in Ukraine but has stopped short of condemning Russia's invasion, abstaining in three votes at the United Nations.

Russia’s friends in the UN counted on the fingers

Only four countries - Belarus, Eritrea, North Korea, Syria – of the 193 United Nations members supported Russia in a UN vote asking it to “immediately” withdraw from Ukraine, an illustration of the isolation of this country under Vladimir Putin.

Last week UK trade minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan said her country is “very disappointed” with India’s stance on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

UK ‘very disappointed’ with India's stance on Ukraine

Britain is very disappointed with India's stance on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, trade minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan said on Thursday (17 March) ahead of the conclusion of a second round of trade talks.

Even though India has grown close to the United States in recent years, it still depends on Russia for a continuous supply of arms and ammunition amid a Himalayan border standoff with China and perennial tension with Pakistan.

After a virtual summit between Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, on Monday, India's foreign ministry said Australia understood India's position on Ukraine.