In a strong rebuke, White House trade advisor Peter Navarro criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his interactions with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. Navarro called the meeting ‘shameful’ and questioned Modi’s decisions, urging India to align itself with the US, Europe, and Ukraine rather than Russia. He also expressed disapproval of India’s purchase of discounted crude oil from Moscow. This recent criticism follows Navarro’s prior remarks targeting India after PM Modi’s bilateral meeting with Xi Jinping. Navarro has voiced concerns about Modi’s choices, emphasizing the importance of understanding the context. The criticism coincides with increasing friction between Washington and New Delhi, largely stemming from US tariffs on Indian goods, including those related to Russian oil. At the SCO summit, Modi emphasized the significance of connectivity for trade, while Putin and Xi Jinping discussed the SCO’s international role and principles.
