US Congresswoman blasts Trump's India strategy as 'cutting our nose to spite our face' | WATCH
During a heated congressional hearing on US foreign policy, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove held up the photo, arguing that America’s own policies, not India’s 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 Washington’s 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 America’s own policies, not India’s choices, are pushing New Delhi closer to Moscow.
‘We are driving India away’
Kamlager-Dove hit out at the administration’s approach toward India, saying, “Trump’s policies towards India can only be described as cutting our nose to spite our face.” She warned that the White House’s pressure tactics are causing “real and lasting damage” to the trust built over decades between the two countries.
Pointing at the enlarged Modi–Putin selfie, she emphasized, “This 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.”
The Congresswoman further urged to understand the seriousness of the moment. “Being a coercive partner has a cost,” 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 “with incredible urgency.”
"Singling out India for 50 % tariffs, one of the highest rates imposed on any country, has effectively derailed leader-level meetings between our two countries. Yet the 25% tariff on imports of Russian oil attributed to India looks pretty pointless when Steve Witkoff is striking backroom deals with Putin's advisors to sell out Ukraine in exchange for some business investment... Beyond tariffs, Trump has also attacked the people-to-people ties between the US and India. The $100,000 fee on H-1B visas, 70% of which are held by Indians, is a rebuke of the incredible contributions Indians have made to science, technology, medicine, and the arts in the United States," she added.
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Putin–Modi warmth on full display in Delhi
The viral photo that sparked the congressional uproar was taken during Putin’s 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 PM’s residence.
It wasn’t 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?
Dove’s message was clear: India’s 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.