Democracy Summit: Biden Invites Modi

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Democracy Summit: Biden Invites Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to take part in U.S. President Joseph Biden’s “Summit for Democracy”, officials said, confirming that the government has received an invitation for him to take part in the conference in virtual format on December 9-10.

Modi’s participation, along with leaders of more than 100 countries invited, is expected to include “individual and collective commitments to defend democracy and human rights at home and abroad”, according to the White House announcement on the summit, in a manner akin to the climate change “goals” leaders at the Glasgow summit spelt out.

"The virtual Summit will galvanise commitments and initiatives across three principal themes: defending against authoritarianism, fighting corruption, and promoting respect for human rights," said a White House statement.

The meeting will come up days after PM Modi hosts Russia’s President Vladimir Putin at his Lok Kalyan Marg (LKM) in New Delhi on December 6.

Russia’s reaction: Russian ambassador to China Andrey Denisov told the Global Times Friday the "democracy summit" is another misguided attempt to divide the world into categories of "superior and inferior."

Chinese reaction: Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying had said in August, “Democracy should be tangible rather than empty slogans. It should not become spiritual opium that fools or numbs the people, still less an excuse for attacking and smearing other countries and maintaining one's own hegemony.”

Hua Chunying said, “Ganging up in the name of democracy, wantonly interfering in other country's internal affairs and even arbitrarily suppressing normal development of other countries and people's legitimate right to better lives is more undemocratic than anything else. It is autocracy, hegemony and totalitarianism.”

US faces flak over invitee list: The Biden administration is facing flak over the list of countries chosen for the summit. Although the list has not been officially released, Politico understands that from South Asia, Pakistan, Nepal and the Maldives have also been invited. Afghanistan and Myanmar are not on the list.

The choice of nations is becoming a problem for the US with many questioning why certain countries were left out and some included. Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE are not on the list. Some are key allies of the US in the Middle East.

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