Former White House trade adviser Peter Navarro has described the recent meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit as “troublesome.” His remarks highlight concerns within U.S. policy circles about the growing strategic alignment among Asian powers, particularly as Washington seeks to counterbalance China and isolate Russia over the Ukraine conflict.
The SCO summit, held under the theme of regional cooperation and multipolarity, brought together key leaders from Eurasia to discuss security, trade, energy, and connectivity. The participation of Modi, Xi, and Putin on the same platform underscored the increasing role of the SCO as a counterweight to Western-led institutions. While India has often walked a fine line between the West and its long-standing partnerships with Russia, its presence alongside Beijing and Moscow in a highly publicized summit has raised eyebrows in Washington.
Navarro, known for his hawkish stance on China during the Trump administration, argued that such gatherings strengthen Beijing’s and Moscow’s influence in Asia, potentially undermining U.S. strategic interests. He suggested that India’s engagement in platforms dominated by China and Russia complicates Washington’s efforts to deepen security and economic cooperation with New Delhi under the Quad framework.
For India, however, the SCO offers an important avenue to pursue its national interests. The country has consistently maintained that its foreign policy is one of strategic autonomy, where engagement with multiple blocs allows it to balance competing global powers. Modi’s participation was framed around issues of counterterrorism, regional stability, and economic connectivity—key concerns for New Delhi as it navigates a shifting geopolitical landscape.
China and Russia, on the other hand, are using the SCO to strengthen their narrative of a multipolar world order, challenging what they describe as Western dominance. The meeting between Xi and Putin within this framework also signaled the deepening of their bilateral ties, particularly in energy and defense cooperation, both of which are under scrutiny by the U.S. and its allies.
Navarro’s remarks reflect the unease in Washington about the potential for India’s role within the SCO to dilute its strategic partnership with the U.S. While American officials continue to emphasize shared democratic values and Indo-Pacific security cooperation with India, concerns persist about New Delhi’s balancing act between East and West.
The “troublesome” label underscores the growing complexity of global alliances. For the U.S., the challenge lies in reconciling India’s independent foreign policy with Washington’s broader strategy of isolating adversaries like China and Russia. For India, the SCO remains a pragmatic forum to engage with powerful neighbors while protecting its security and economic interests.
As global power dynamics shift, meetings like the one at the SCO summit demonstrate how traditional alliances are being tested and how nations are recalibrating their positions in a rapidly changing world order.
