PM Modi and US President Biden discuss Ukraine, safety of Hindus in Bangladesh

Modi first raised the issue soon after Yunus was sworn in, when he extended his best wishes and urged him to ensure the “safety and protection of Hindus” there. Subsequently, Modi also flagged the issue in his Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort, and his phone conversation with Yunus later.

After his phone call with Biden on Monday, Modi posted on X: “Spoke to @POTUS @JoeBiden on phone today. We had a detailed exchange of views on various regional and global issues, including the situation in Ukraine. I reiterated India’s full support for early return of peace and stability.”

“We also discussed the situation in Bangladesh and stressed on the need for early restoration of normalcy, and ensuring the safety and security of minorities, especially Hindus, in Bangladesh,” he posted.

In a statement, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said Modi reiterated India’s consistent position on Ukraine, “in favour of dialogue and diplomacy, and expressed full support for early return of peace and stability”.

Marking a historic milestone in India’s diplomacy in Europe which has been roiled by the Russia-Ukraine war, Modi met Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Friday and asked him to sit with Russian President Vladimir Putin to “find a way out of the crisis”.

Zelenskyy, on his part, said he needed India on his side and “not balancing between US and Russia”, and proposed that India could be a possible venue for a peace summit, which New Delhi is learnt to be looking at.

The PMO statement said Modi conveyed his “appreciation for President Biden’s deep commitment (to) the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, which is based on shared values of democracy, rule of law and strong people-to-people ties”.

“The leaders reviewed the significant progress in bilateral relations and highlighted that India-US partnership is aimed at benefiting the people of both countries as well as the entire humanity. The two leaders had a detailed exchange of views on a number of regional and global issues,” it said.

Modi, who reached the war-torn Ukrainian capital on the Rail Force One train from Poland last week, had said that he told Putin last month that “solutions can’t be found on the battlefield”. “The road to resolution can only be found through dialogue and diplomacy… we should move in that direction without wasting any time,” he told Zelenskyy at the Mariinsky Palace.

On Bangladesh, the PMO statement said “the two leaders expressed their shared concern over the situation in Bangladesh. They emphasised restoration of law and order and ensuring safety and security of the minorities, particularly Hindus, in Bangladesh.”

Amid concerns in India over attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, in Bangladesh, Yunus had called up Modi on August 16 — the first high-level contact between the two countries since Sheikh Hasina was ousted as Prime Minister. He had assured that the interim government would “prioritise protection, safety and security of Hindus and all minority groups in Bangladesh”.

Yunus had said the reports of attacks on minorities were exaggerated and he was inviting Indian journalists to visit Bangladesh and report from the ground on the issues of minority protection. According to Yunus, the situation has been brought under control and normalcy is being restored across the country.

On August 12, Yunus had reached out to the Hindu minority community with a visit to the Dhakeshwari Temple where he met community leaders and assured “justice” and “equal rights” for all. He met Hindu community leaders on Monday as well and vowed to promote interfaith harmony as he hosted a reception for them coinciding with Janmashtami.

Meanwhile, the PMO statement said Modi and Biden also reiterated their commitment to further strengthen cooperation in multilateral fora, including the Quad. “They agreed to remain in touch,” it said.

Modi is expected to travel to the US next month to attend the UN General Assembly and The Summit of the Future. Biden, who couldn’t come to India for the Quad summit, may convene the Quad leaders’ summit in New York, on the sidelines of the UNGA.