President Joe Biden told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that buying more oil from Russia was not in India's interest and could hamper the U.S. response to the war in Ukraine, U.S. officials said.

Joe Biden made efforts to dissuade India from continuing to purchase oil from Russia during his earlier call with the prime minister, Narendra Modi, the White House says, but did not appear to have secured a commitment that it would do so.

Starting an hour-long video call U.S. officials described as "warm" and "candid," Biden and Modi both publicly expressed growing alarm at the destruction inside Ukraine, especially in Bucha, where many civilians have been killed.

Biden stopped short of making a "concrete ask" of Modi on Monday, an official said, noting India has concerns about deepening ties between Russia and China.

But he told Modi India's position in the world would not be enhanced by relying on Russian energy sources, U.S. officials said.

"The president conveyed very clearly that it is not in their interest to increase that," said White House spokesperson Jen Psaki.

India's External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, at a news conference later on Monday, pushed back against a question on India's energy purchases from Russia, saying the focus should be on Europe, not India. "Probably our total purchases for the month would be less than what Europe does in an afternoon."

Broad talks between the world's two largest democracies took place as the United States seeks more help from India in condemning, and applying economic pressure on, Russia for an invasion Moscow calls a "special military operation."