A widely circulated photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin sharing a car in Delhi made its way into the US Congress on Tuesday, after Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove held up the image during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing.
The Democrat lawmaker used the photo to warn colleagues that US policy under the current administration is straining ties with India and inadvertently strengthening Moscow’s hand.
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“Trump's policies towards India can only be described as cutting our nose to spite our face,” Kamlager-Dove said. She argued that pressure tactics being deployed by Washington are causing “real and lasting damage to the strategic trust and mutual understanding” between both countries.
Gesturing toward the poster of Modi and Putin in the Aurus sedan, she added, “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.”
‘Being a coercive partner has a cost’
Kamlager-Dove urged lawmakers to act with “incredible urgency” to repair the US–India relationship.
“Congress understands the stakes on a bipartisan basis,” she said. “Being a coercive partner has a cost.”
Her remarks come as India continues to defend its strategic autonomy despite Western pressure over its long-standing defence and energy ties with Russia.
Modi–Putin car ride becomes diplomatic symbol
The image at the centre of the congressional exchange shows Modi and Putin riding together shortly after the Russian leader landed in Delhi last week.
As reported by India Today, Putin travelled with Modi from Palam Airport to the Prime Minister’s residence for a private dinner which is a gesture interpreted by both sides as a display of personal warmth. The two leaders last shared a car during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit.
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“The car ride with PM Modi was my idea. It was a symbol of our friendship,” Putin told India Today in an exclusive interview during the visit.
Putin received a red-carpet welcome on arrival, marking his first visit to India since the Russia-Ukraine war began in 2022.
