Washington/IBNS: US Republican candidate Nikki Haley on Wednesday said India wants to be with the Americans but as of now, it sees them as weak so played it smart staying close to Russia amid tectonic global power struggles, media reports said.

In an interview with Fox Business News, Haley claimed India doesn't want to be Russia's partner but they don't trust the US to lead.

She said, "I have dealt with India too. I have got to say, I have dealt with India too. I have talked with (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi. India wants to be a partner with us. They don't want to be a partner with Russia."

"The problem is, India doesn't trust us to win. They don't trust us to lead. They see right now that we're weak. India has always played it smart. They have played it smart, and they have stayed close with Russia, because that's where they get a lot of their military equipment," Haley added.

India has developed close ties with Washington over the years and is a vital part of the Quad grouping aimed at pushing back against China.

However, India has a long-standing relationship with Moscow, which remains a major supplier of its defense equipment.

India has avoided condemning Russian actions in Ukraine and abstained from voting in the UN Security Council.

Withstanding the pressures from the western world, India has not taken sides on the Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and has called for diplomacy and dialogue to resolve the issue as well as de-escalation of tensions.