White House Trade Adviser Urges India to Align with US, Warns Against Closer Ties with Russia and China

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro has called on India to align more closely with the United States and Europe, cautioning New Delhi against strengthening ties with Russia and China amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Emphasizing India’s role in shaping the global response to the conflict, Navarro said Prime Minister Narendra Modi must “come around” and join Western nations in backing Ukraine.
“He needs to be with us in Europe and Ukraine, not with Russia on this, and he needs to stop buying the oil,” Navarro stated. “The road to peace in many ways runs, at least partly, through New Delhi. It’s time for Modi to step up. I have great respect for Modi. I love the Indian people,” he added.

Navarro sharply criticized Modi’s outreach to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, calling it contradictory for the leader of the world’s largest democracy.
“It was a shame to see Modi getting in bed with the two biggest authoritarian dictators in the world in Putin and Xi Jinping. That doesn’t make any sense,” Navarro remarked.

Citing India’s long history of border tensions and conflict with China, Navarro questioned New Delhi’s strategic choices. “I’m not sure what PM Modi is thinking, particularly since India has been in a cold war—and sometimes a hot war—with China for decades,” he said.

Navarro’s remarks come against the backdrop of mounting strains between Washington and New Delhi, following the Trump administration’s imposition of steep tariffs on Indian goods, including an additional 25% levy linked to India’s purchase of Russian oil.

At the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, however, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the importance of regional integration and connectivity. “India has always believed that strong connectivity not only boosts trade but also opens doors to growth and trust,” Modi said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin underscored the bloc’s growing influence, arguing that SCO dialogue was laying the foundation for a new Eurasian security framework. “The SCO is steadily increasing its role in addressing international issues. National currencies are being used more widely in trade settlements, and the pace of cooperation within the SCO is impressive,” Putin said.

Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on the SCO to serve as a bulwark for fairness and justice, emphasizing the need for the grouping to strengthen its collective voice on global issues.