The sovereignty of borders is the “most basic principle” of international relations, the American ambassador to India said in Calcutta on Friday when asked about US concerns on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent Russia trip.

“We know it (Indo-US relationship) is one that will stand the test of time. I think we shared concerns about the dependability of that partnership. But most importantly, we said that the most basic principle — and we certainly don’t need to remind Indian friends — of international relations is the sovereignty of borders,” Eric Garcetti said during an interaction with the press in the city.

“We have supported India on her borders and that is the same reason we have taken such a strong step against the unprovoked war on Ukrainian people,” Garcetti told reporters after delivering atalk on how the education sector has strengthened the Indo-US bond at a programme hosted by business chamber Assocham.

Garcetti, the 26th US ambassador to India, attended a programme to celebrate the US National Day in the evening.

After Modi left Russia earlier this month, US state department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters: “We have been quite clear about our concerns about India’s relationship with Russia. We have expressed those privately directly to the Indian government.”

In Calcutta on Friday, Garcetti spoke of how India and the US had worked together at the G20 summit that Delhi hosted in September 2023.

“We are so happy to work together and promote peace. As we saw in the G20, when we condemned the idea that anybody would cross borders, infringe on sovereignty or threaten the lives of theinnocent victims of war,” he said.

The G20 summit adopted a consensus declaration overcoming major differences on the Russia-Ukraine war. The New Delhi G20 Summit Leaders’ Declaration under India’s presidency called on all States to uphold the principles of international law, including territorial integrity and sovereignty, and pitched for initiatives for “comprehensive, just, and durable peace in Ukraine”.

Ukraine had said the “G20 has nothing to be proud of” regarding the Delhi Declaration’s stance on “Russia’s aggression against Ukraine”.

“We know that India can be a great voice for peace globally. I have witnessed that in the G20... India has had incredibly strong relationships with both Russia and Ukraine in the past. So, India could play a great role. But it is not our expectation. That is for India to decide,” Garcetti said.

Garcetti was asked about “trust issues” between India and the US regarding the allegations of Indian espionage on US soil.

An Indian official was allegedly involved in a plot to assassinate Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil.

Garcetti said it would not come in the way of deepening Indo-US ties.

“We trust that any relationship sometimes has issues that we have to confront together.... We are showing the world that we can get through those minor issues together. We certainly need to stand up for our principles, accountability, whenever those things are raised. But that will not stop the momentum of this relationship,” he said.

In November last year, US federal prosecutors charged Indian national Nikhil Gupta with working with an Indian government employee in the foiled plot to kill Pannun in New York. Pannun, wanted in India on terror charges, holds dual citizenship of the US and Canada. Gupta, who was arrested in the Czech Republic in June last year, was extradited to the US on June 14. The US has said it is looking forward to the results of the Indian inquiry into the allegations.

In April, an independent US Congressional research report alleged that the scope and scale of human rights abuses in India has increased under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This was not the first time that the Modi regime was accused of violation of human rights by a US agency.

Asked about the allegations, and India’s denial of them, Garcetti invoked Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violence. “I would say we have two great democracies. Part of our democracies is the constitutional law that approves the civil and human rights of our people. We have certainly been inspired by India’s Independence movement; the non-violence movement of Mahatma Gandhi and others who helped inform people like Martin Luther King about our struggles for racial equality.

“Part of our foreign policy is always to invite criticism from a humble place in the US and also look at theplaces where we can worktogether....”