US-India Relations: Balancing Economic Ties and Human Rights Concerns

President Joe Biden welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the White House and highlighted the strategic importance of India as a rising economic partner and a bulwark against China’s dominance in the region. While Biden did not publicly criticize Modi's treatment of Muslims and crackdown on government critics and journalists, he gently noted a need for a shared commitment to democratic values. Human rights advocates have criticized Biden for hosting Modi and throwing him a state dinner, a prestigious honor bestowed upon only two other foreign leaders since Biden took office.