PM Modi failed to defend India’s interests at G7 summit: Congress

The Congress on Thursday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France for the Group of Seven summit, saying that he had failed to defend India’s energy interests, economic priorities and strategic autonomy.

India was an invitee at the event.

“The Congress had hoped that…Modi would leverage the G7 Summit in France as an opportunity to assert India’s leadership role in the Global South…,” the party said. “Instead, the summit exposed a troubling gap between rhetoric and results.”

The Congress alleged that during Modi’s bilateral meeting with United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday, the prime minister neither defended India’s energy sovereignty, nor secured a sanctions waiver that would have allowed the country to continue importing Russian oil.

“This is a missed opportunity…,” the party said. “As a result, Indians will continue to face the brunt of higher fuel and consumer prices.”

In August, the US had imposed a punitive levy of 25% on India for its purchase of Russian oil. It was removed when the bilateral trade deal was finalised in February.

In March, the US granted Indian refiners a 30-day waiver allowing them to buy Russian oil stranded at sea amid the war in West Asia. In April, the waiver had been extended till May 16.

Since the war in West Asia began on February 28, the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterbody connecting...

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