During a heated congressional hearing on US foreign policy, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove held up the photo, arguing that Americaโs own policies, not Indiaโs choices, are pushing New Delhi closer to Moscow.
The viral car selfie of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin has sparked fresh debate not in India, but inside the halls of the US Congress. For many, the image is more than just a friendly gesture between two leaders. It has become a symbol of what some lawmakers say is Washingtonโs failure to treat India as a trusted strategic partner.
During a heated congressional hearing on US foreign policy, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove held up the photo, arguing that Americaโs own policies, not Indiaโs choices, are pushing New Delhi closer to Moscow.
โWe are driving India awayโ
Kamlager-Dove hit out at the administrationโs approach toward India, saying, โTrumpโs policies towards India can only be described as cutting our nose to spite our face.โ She warned that the White Houseโs pressure tactics are causing โreal and lasting damageโ to the trust built over decades between the two countries.
Pointing at the enlarged ModiโPutin selfie, she emphasized, โThis poster is worth a thousand words. You do not get a Nobel Peace Prize by driving US strategic partners into the arms of our adversaries.โ
The Congresswoman further urged to understand the seriousness of the moment. โBeing a coercive partner has a cost,โ she said, calling for immediate action to repair ties with India. She stressed that Congress, on both sides of the aisle, recognizes the stakes and must move โwith incredible urgency.โ
Watch the video here:ย
PutinโModi warmth on full display in Delhi
The viral photo that sparked the congressional uproar was taken during Putinโs two-day visit to India last week.
The Russian President arrived in Delhi to a red-carpet welcome, where Prime Minister Modi greeted him with a handshake and a warm embrace. The two leaders then left together in the same car for a private dinner at the PMโs residence.
It wasnโt the first time they shared a car ride. Their previous drive together during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in a made-in-Russia Aurus sedan was widely seen as a sign of their close personal rapport.
A wake-up call for Washington?
Doveโs message was clear: Indiaโs deepening engagement with Russia is not a surprise it is a consequence. She argued that if the United States continues to pressure or lecture New Delhi, it risks losing one of its most important strategic partners.