Opinion

Opinion | Donald Trump’s ‘Modi Assured Me’ Remark: India Must Seek Both Balance and Sovereignty

President Trump has claimed that Prime Minister Modi assured him India will stop buying oil from Russia.

“So I was not happy that India was buying oil, and he assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia,” Trump told reporters at a White House event. “That’s a big step. Now we’re going to get China to do the same thing.”

I would like to believe this is yet another one of Trump’s many exaggerated claims about his influence over India and Modi. India has been steadily deepening its ties with Russia and China while strengthening the BRICS alliance, which could shape a new world order with India at its core.

Agreeing to Trump’s demands might ease a few trade and investment issues in the short run. It might even help Modi’s image among the Indian diaspora in the United States. But it would undo India’s independent efforts to build a global identity rooted in sovereignty and balance.

While, India should not turn its back on the United States, nor should it stop working toward a friendly and cooperative partnership with one of the world’s oldest democracies. But that relationship must be built on equal footing, guided by mutual respect and dignity, not drama.

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