‘Did Alaska not happen?’: Expert on Navarro calling PM Modi’s meeting with Putin, Xi a mistake

Leading Asia expert and advisor, Evan A Feigenbaum, called out White House trade adviser Peter Navarro for his take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Russian President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. He said India should be with the US and not China and Russia.

“It is a shame to see Modi getting in bed with Xi Jinping and Putin…I'm not sure what he's thinking. We hope he comes around to seeing that he needs with us and not Russia,” said Navarro.

Feigenbaum questioned the recent Alaska meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. In fact, Putin was welcomed by Trump on a red carpet. The meeting organised to discuss steps towards peace in Ukraine did not yield any results. “I'm sorry but did Alaska not happen, or is it that everyone in America saw it happen except this guy?” asked Feigenbaum.

In response, many were quick to point out the “selective amnesia” being demonstrated by Navarro. “Navarro’s worldview seems to be: if he just covers his eyes, Alaska never happened,” said a user, while another said, “Selective amnesia combined with hypocrisy seems to be par for the course for Navarro.”

Navarro’s remarks come amid rising tensions between Washington and New Delhi, sparked by a 50 per cent US tariff on Indian goods and India’s continued purchase of discounted Russian crude oil.

Navarro described the issue as twofold. He said 25 per cent of the problem is due to unfair trade practices, while the other 25 per cent stems from India buying oil from Russia.

He called India the "Maharaja of tariffs," claiming it imposes the highest tariff rates among major economies and refuses to acknowledge this fact. Navarro said India is in denial and tries to deny the truth, but it is demonstrably true.

Navarro contrasted India’s approach with that of other trade partners like Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia, and the European Union, who have engaged with the US. He said India believes it can continue to act as it pleases, but President Trump will not allow that.