Politics 18 Jun, 2026

PM Modi should not prioritise his 'friendship' with US Prez over Indian interests: Cong

Business To Business, New Delhi, 18^th June, 2026:  The Indian National Congress on Thursday criticized Narendra Modi over his recent interaction with Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, alleging that the Prime Minister failed to adequately protect India's strategic and economic interests.
Congress' main criticisms
In a statement issued by the party's Foreign Affairs Department, headed by former External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, Congress made several allegations:
Energy sovereignty
The party claimed that Modi was unable to secure protection for India's energy interests, particularly regarding imports of Russian oil.
According to Congress, the Prime Minister failed to:

• Draw a firm line on India's energy security concerns.
• Obtain an exemption or sanctions waiver that could facilitate continued imports of Russian crude under evolving U.S. sanctions frameworks.

Operation Sindoor
Congress also alleged that Modi did not publicly challenge or respond to claims made by Trump regarding his role in halting Operation Sindoor, an issue that has generated political debate in India.
Indian seafarers
The opposition further argued that the Prime Minister did not adequately raise the issue of the recent killing of three Indian seafarers, saying the matter deserved direct attention during high-level discussions.
The Congress statement said it had expected Modi to use the G7 platform to:

• Assert India's leadership among developing nations.
• Defend India's strategic autonomy.
• Protect economic interests.
• Promote the concerns of the Global South.

The party argued that the summit highlighted what it described as a gap between the government's diplomatic claims and tangible outcomes.
The government has consistently maintained that India's foreign policy is guided by national interests and strategic autonomy. It has also defended its engagement with global powers, including the United States, while preserving independent positions on issues such as energy security and international conflicts.
The criticism reflects the continuing political debate over India's foreign policy, its relations with major powers, and the handling of issues such as energy imports, sanctions, and national security.