The Narendra Modi-Vladimir Putin bilateral in Moscow may actually have been a trilateral. Washington was present, albeit remotely, making a crowd of what was meant to be company.

The US on Tuesday disclosed it has had “conversations” with India during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Russia, apparently concerned by the optics and substance of the engagement while continuing to view New Delhi as a strategic partner.

Both the US state department and the Pentagon weighed in on the visit hours after the Prime Minister had flown out of Moscow after what foreign secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra described as a “very successful annual summit”. However, the state department — while disclosing that conversations have taken place with India in the past 24 hours — did not reveal what was discussed.

Asked whether the state department had articulated US concerns to New Delhi about the India-Russia relationship — particularly in light of announcements made during the visit on agreements on energy and oil — spokesman Mike Miller said: “We have had conversations with them in the past 24 hours, and I think I’ll keep the contents of those private.”

Earlier, responding to a question on how the US is going to respond to the deepening engagement between India and Russia — particularly since oil is a key factor in fuelling Russia’s war in Ukraine — Miller said: “We have been quite clear about our concerns about India’s relationship with Russia. We have expressed those privately, directly to the Indian government, and continue to do so, and that hasn’t changed.”

Modi hugging Russian President Putin on a day Ukraine accused Russia of bombing a hospital and killing several children has clearly drawn eyeballs in western capitals and the state department spokesman was questioned on it.

“How do you view the Modi-Putin hugging chemistry, as (Ukraine) President (Volodymyr) Zelensky has seriously objected, saying it’s a huge disappointment that the leader of the world’s largest democracy hugs a bloody criminal in Moscow? This is a devastating blow to peace efforts. Will this create any impact on your trusted and strategic partnership with India?” a journalist asked.

Miller stuck to his refrain since Modi’s Moscow visit began on Monday. “We urge India, we continue to urge India, to support efforts to realise an enduring and just peace in Ukraine based on the principles of the UN Charter, based on upholding Ukraine’s territorial integrity and its sovereignty. And that will continue to be what we will engage with… India about.”

At the Pentagon, too, the Joe Biden administration had to deal with similar questions on Modi’s Russia visit with the additional dimension of defence thrown into the mix. Modi’s hugging Putin again came up as the visit coincided with the Nato summit being hosted in Washington. “Is this seen as a threat to Nato?... Is there any reconsideration of selling weapons to India if they’re going to be so closely allied with Russia?”

Pointing to the long-standing India-Russia relationship, Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder said: “India is a strategic partner with whom we continue to engage with full and frank dialogue to include their relationship with Russia. As it relates to the Nato summit being this week, of course, like you, the world is focused on that.

“But I don’t think anybody will be surprised if President Putin tries to represent this visit in a way that seeks to somehow show he is not isolated from the rest of the world. And the fact of the matter is that President Putin’s war of choice has isolated Russia from the rest of the world, and it’s come at great cost. Their war of aggression has come at great cost and the facts bear that out. So, we will continue to view India as a strategic partner. We’ll continue to have robust dialogue with them, and I’ll just leave it there.”

When it was pointed out that Putin is not looking very isolated with “the head of the world’s largest democracy being in Moscow, embracing him right now”, Ryder responded: “The Prime Minister also met recently with the Ukrainian President and assured — and offered his assurances that India will continue to do everything within its means to support a peaceful solution to the war in Ukraine. I think that we trust that India will support efforts to realise an enduring and just peace for Ukraine and will convey to Mr Putin the importance of adhering to the UN charter and the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Over the two days that he was in Moscow, Modi held detailed discussions with Putin more than once. Apart from the bilateral engagement, the two also met for a private dinner on Monday evening which went on for six hours.