TOKYO: Indian Prime Minister NarendraModi and U.S. President Joe Biden reached "substantive outcomes" on Tuesday in talks to strengthen their trade and defence ties, India said, though Modi refrained from condemning Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

The leaders are in Tokyo for a meeting of the Quad group ofcountries - the United States, India, Japan and Australia. Ofthe four, only India has not condemned Russia's invasion despitepressure from the United States for it to do so.

"Discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in trade,investment, technology, defence, P2P ties between the twocountries," Indian foreign ministry spokesperson, ArindamBagchi, said on Twitter, referring to people-to-people ties.

"Concluded with substantive outcomes adding depth andmomentum to the bilateral partnership."

The White House said a statement that Biden, in the meetingwith Modi, had condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine but therewas no mention of Modi doing so. Modi had agreed on humanitarianhelp for Ukraine, it said.

"The leaders’ committed to continue providing humanitarianassistance, and discussed how to cooperate to manage disruptionscaused by the war in Ukraine, in particular the rise in energyand food prices, to protect their respective citizens and theworld," the White House said.

Russia has been India's biggest arms supplier for decadesand India is wary of seeing Russia pushed even closer to China,with which India has serious border disagreements.

India has called for an end to the violence in Ukraine.

The United States has in recent months offered to sell moredefence equipment and oil to India to pry it away from Russia.India has also joined a U.S.-led trade partnership, that Bidenlaunched this week, called the Indo-Pacific Economic Frameworkfor Prosperity.

The White House said India would be joining the U.S.-backedCombined Military Forces-Bahrain as an associate member. Themaritime partnership has 34 members from around the world butdoes not include China.