New Delhi, India

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India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval spoke to his American counterpart Jake Sullivan on Friday (Jul 12) and discussed India-US ties, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated. 

The telephonic conversation took place amid an indication of some unease in India-US ties following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Russia, where he met President Vladimir Putin as the NATO Summit was underway in Washington. 

The two security advisers agreed to work closely to deepen India-US relations, built on shared values, and common strategic and security interests. 

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"They discussed a wide range of issues of bilateral, regional and international concern and forthcoming high-level engagements under the Quad framework to be held in July 2024 and later in the year," the MEA said in a statement.

Watch | US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan meets Indian counterpart Ajit Doval

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Garcetti's statement

The call came a day after US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti lectured New Delhi, by stating that there is no such thing as strategic autonomy in times of conflict - pointing towards PM Modi's Russia visit. 

“I know...and I respect that India likes its strategic autonomy. But in times of conflict, there is no such thing as strategic autonomy. We will, in crisis moments, need to know each other," said Garcetti. 

"I don’t care what title we put to it, but we will need to know that we are trusted friends, brothers and sisters, colleagues,” he added. 

Also read | Amid Gaza protests, US ambassador to India Garcetti skips JNU meet

Without taking Russia's name, Garcetti urged New Delhi to take action against 'war machines' and side with the US. 

“No war is distant anymore, and we must not just stand for peace. We must take concrete actions to make sure those who don’t play by peaceful rules that their war machines cannot continue unabated. That’s something the US needs to know and that India needs to know together.”

Garcetti also made a comparison between the India-Russia Summit, which resulted in two joint statements and nine agreements, and the Indian prime minister’s visit to Washington last June, which he believed was more successful.

While initially, no reaction came from the Indian government to Garcetti's statement, the phone call to Sullivan is being regarded as a response by the experts. 

Throughout the Russia-Ukraine war, India has refrained from joining the Western bloc which is predominantly anti-Putin in its stance. Instead, New Delhi has preferred to keep ties intact with Moscow, its traditional ally, while batting for a peaceful resolution to the war. 

(With inputs from agencies)