Experts Say US Pressure on India Over Russia Makes Little Sense
Recently, the US government has been put under the spotlight for its tough approach toward India, especially regarding India’s relations with Russia. A top expert in Washington on India-US economic ties says the recent pressure tactics by the Trump administration “do not make a great deal of sense.”
Reacting to White House Senior Advisor Peter Navarro’s recent comments—where he urged India to side with the US instead of Russia—Richard Rossow, from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), explained that singling out India isn’t helpful for strengthening the relationship between the two nations.
“Many supporters of India-US ties want India to reduce its cooperation with Russia,” Rossow said. “But the recent US pressure on India doesn’t seem to serve a clear purpose.”
In the past few days, Navarro has accused India of “profiteering” from the Ukraine war, which India strongly denies. Indian Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri responded with an op-ed in The Hindu, saying, “nothing could be further from the truth.”
Some critics say Navarro’s harsh comments aren’t fully aligned with the official US policy. However, Rossow pointed out that Navarro’s views are very much in line with former President Trump’s stance. “His comments are not far from what Trump himself has said,” Rossow explained. “He’s a long-time insider in Trump’s circle.”
The timing of Navarro’s remarks is notable. They came after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to China, where he attended a regional summit and held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Rossow doesn’t believe India is shifting closer to Russia and China. He sees Modi’s visit more as a diplomatic meeting than a sign of deeper alliances. “The meeting was more about dialogue than action,” Rossow said. He also mentioned that Modi’s trip to Tokyo just before the summit had bigger news and more important announcements.
Talking about India-China relations, Rossow says that while there are some efforts to ease tensions, a full reset in their relationship seems unlikely anytime soon. This is because of ongoing issues like China’s increased presence in the Indian Ocean, trade disagreements, and concerns over Tibetan Buddhism.
Regarding US lawmakers’ reactions, Rossow notes that Republicans seem hesitant to oppose President Trump’s views openly. On the other hand, Democrats are preoccupied with US domestic issues, which makes India or Russia less of a priority right now.
Overall, experts believe that the US’s recent approach to India over Russia may not be the best strategy. They see India’s foreign policy moves as more about diplomacy than aligning purely with one side.
