President Joe Biden this week welcomes India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a state visit aimed at deepening Washington's ties with New Delhi, but the visit has raised concerns among some US politicians.
Some are unhappy that the head of India's Hindu nationalist party, which has a history of anti-Muslim discrimination, has been invited to address Congress, despite India being a “critical strategic partner”.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the US sees India, the world's biggest democracy, as an important partner in tackling some of the most pressing global challenges, including climate change, cyber security and China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific.
The goal of the visit will also aim to improve co-operation on defence.
“You're going to see over the course of this week, the leaders will speak for themselves about some of the ways we're going to specifically improve and deepen defence co-operation,” Mr Kirby said.
“As a combined force for global good, India will be a critical strategic partner for the US in the coming decades.”
He added that India is committed to playing a more engaged international role, including in the Indo-Pacific “Quad” group, which also includes the US, Japan and Australia.
Mr Modi arrived in the US on Tuesday for his four-day official visit, which will include a state dinner with Mr Biden and first lady Jill Biden on Thursday in addition to his invitation to address Congress.
On Wednesday, he will lead celebrations of the International Day of Yoga at UN Headquarters in New York.
Mr Kirby said the two leaders will have “wide-ranging discussions” and that the visit will result in “deliverables” on global health, climate change, emerging technology and cyber security.
The visit comes at a time when Mr Biden has been working on strengthening US-India ties as his administration has been looking to build relationships to counter China's growing influence in Asia.
It also comes as the Biden administration has grown increasingly frustrated with India's stance on the Ukraine war, which has included participating in military exercises with Russia and continuing to buy crude oil from Moscow, a critical source of funding for the war.
The visit is also problematic for Mr Biden, a Democrat who has pledged to confront human rights abuses around the world as part of his foreign policy objectives.
Mr Modi has faced criticism over growing violence against Muslims and other religious minorities by Hindu nationalists, making amendments to the nation's citizenship laws that speeds up naturalisation for some migrants but leaves out Muslims.
He has also been criticised over the recent conviction of opposition leader Rahul Ghandi for making comments about Mr Modi's surname.
“Prime Minister Modi is at the forefront of a government that grossly violates the human rights of India’s religious minority communities, particularly Muslims, through the promotion and enforcement of state and national-level laws that promote a Hindu-nationalist agenda,” the US-based Muslim Public Affairs Council wrote in a recent op-ed.
“This celebratory, official invitation to Prime Minister Modi raises concerns regarding the foundation of the United States’ core principles and constitutional values based on the protection of human rights.”
On Tuesday, a group of more than 70 Democrats from both the House and the Senate wrote an open letter calling on Mr Biden to make human rights a focus of his discussion with Mr Modi.
Several Muslim members of Congress also said they would not be attending Mr Modi's speech.
The Indian government has defended its human rights record and says it is committed to upholding democracy in the country.
“President Biden and Mr Modi will have wide ranging discussions,” Mr Kirby said. “Some issues are always easier to talk about than others, but that's what partners do.”
