NEW DELHI: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a veiled warning Wednesday about Indian democracy backsliding in his first official visit to Washington's important ally. Rights groups say civil liberties and the space for dissent are under increasing attack in the world's biggest democracy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.

Blinken told a joint news conference with Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar that the US and India "take seriously our responsibility to deliver freedom, equality and opportunity to all of our people."

But he added that "we know that we must constantly do more on these fronts, and neither of us has achieved the ideals that we set for ourselves."

Democracies should "always seek to strengthen our democratic institutions, expand access to justice and opportunity, stand up forcefully for fundamental freedoms," Blinken said. Under Modi, India has made growing use of anti-terrorism legislation and "sedition" laws to arrest campaigners, journalists, students and others, critics say.

The Hindu nationalist administration has also brought in legislation that detractors say discriminates against India's 170-million-strong Muslim minority. The government denies cracking down on criticism and says people of all religions have equal rights.

But according to Brahma Chellaney, strategic affairs expert at India's Centre for Policy Research, US backing has "slipped a notch" since Joe Biden took over from Donald Trump as president in January.