'You Don't Get Nobel Prize By...': Modi-Putin Car Selfie Steals The Show During US Debate, Sparks Fury Against Trump's Tariff On India

New Delhi: The car selfie of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the latter's visit to India last week has recently become a major point of discussion during a hearing on US foreign policy, with Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove holding up the photo to highlight that US President Donald Trump's policies have strained India-US ties, pushing India towards Russia.

Presenting the photo of PM Modi with Russian President Putin during the latter's recent visit to India, US representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove said, “Trump's policies towards India can only be described as cutting our nose to spite our face,” adding that, “Being a coercive partner has a cost. And this poster is worth a thousand words.”

Taking a hit at Trump who had been eyeing the Nobel Peace Prize for allegedly brokering several peace deals with various countries in conflict, Kamlager-Dove argued that the US President's pressure tactics have pushed America's strategic partners closer to their adversaries.

“You do not get a Nobel Peace Prize by driving US strategic partners into the arms of our adversaries,” she said.

Underscoring India's central role in vital sectors like defence, energy, AI, space and advanced technologies, Kamlager-Dove said, "The US relationship with India will be defining for both countries in how we place ourselves in the 21st-century world order," she said. She suggested that the Quad may "help maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific."

Trump ‘Flushed’ Quad

Kamlager-Dove shared that Donald Trump inherited a partnership marked by an energised Quad, growing defence-technology cooperation, coordinated supply-chain efforts and strong political momentum, but has since weakened it. "Flush, flush, flush -- flushed down the toilet," she said describing the shift.

She said that Trump risks becoming the president who “lost India”, even while signalling openness toward Russia. She accused him of eroding trust through trade policies.

Kamlager-Dove noted that the 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods and a 25 per cent tariff on India-linked Russian oil imports have stalled high-level engagement, contributing to the postponement of the Quad Leaders Summit.

USD 100,000 Fee On H-1B visas

She also criticised the Donald Trump's administration's new USD 100,000 fee on H-1B visas, emphasising that that Indians hold 70 per cent of these visas. SHE said that the change directly harms workers who have long supported US innovation across technology, science and medicine.

Urging the Donald Trump administration to urgently work towards improving the relations between India and the US, Kamlager-Dove said, “We must move with incredible urgency to mitigate the damage that this administration has done to the US-India partnership and return to the cooperation that is essential to US prosperity, security, and global leadership.”

The Congresswoman made these remarks while speaking at the House Foreign Affairs South and Central Asia Subcommittee's hearing titled, 'The U.S.–India Strategic Partnership: Securing a Free and Open Indo-Pacific'.

Long-term Interests With The West

Speaking at the same hearing, Congressman Ami Bera defended India's latest strategic moves saying that while the country has to coexist with its neighbour China, it understands that its long-term interests lies with the West. 

“The ranking member had a picture of Prime Minister Modi with Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. That does cause some heartburn for folks in Congress. But it's my assessment that India understands their long-term interests. They have to coexist with China,” Bera said adding that , “But they also understand their long-term interests lie with the West.”

On the high H-1B visa fees levied by the Trump administration, Bera said that it hurts American companies and the President understands that.

“The $100,000 fee on the  H-1Bs hurts American companies. I'm glad that I've heard the President at times say, Hey, wait a minute, we need this talent and these relationships,” he said.

Advocating for easy visa norms that might allow Indian scientists and engineers to travel back and forth to the US, Bera said, “I hope we can work together in Congress to come up with a visa that allows Indian scientists to travel back and forth to the United States, as well as US scientists and engineers to move back and forth to India," further emphasising that, "These are not folks who are threats to overstay their visas.” 

Time For India To Step UP

On India's close ties with Russia, the US House Representative said, “We do have some concerns about India's closeness with Russia, but just based on historic norms, that's to be expected.”

Asking India to play a bigger role in ending the Ukraine-Russia conflict, given its close relation with Russia, Bera said, “What I would like to encourage India to do is that the President sincerely wants to find a cessation to the conflict in Ukraine. India can play a unique role given their lines of communication with the Russians. This is a time for India, which wants to take a bigger role on the global stage, to step up.” 

On working on its ties with Russia, he said, “When this conflict (Ukraine-Russia war) ends,  we are going to have to work together to figure out how to bring Russia back into the fold.”

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