Michael Rubin said Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent visit to India is seen as Trump's "gross incompetence" by the majority of the US people.

Putin is visiting India on Thursday and Friday to attend the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit. Modi, who visited Moscow last year and met Putin briefly at a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in September, has refrained from condemning Russia over Ukraine, emphasizing a peaceful resolution, according to The Associated Press.

A team of negotiators from the Trump administration led by Deputy US Trade Representative Rick Switzer plan to travel to India next week.

A former Pentagon official has offered an unusual assessment of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s India visit, arguing that Donald Trump and not Moscow deserves credit for the warm reception in New Delhi, calling it “Nobel Prize” worthy.

The new NSS differs sharply from the 2022 version released during Joe Biden's presidency and places notable emphasis on deepening ties with India, US News, Times Now

A former Pentagon official has sparked controversy by saying that US President Donald Trump deserves a “Nobel Prize” for bringing India and Russia closer during Vladimir Putin’s visit to India.

The US president had hit India with a further 25% tariff over its purchases of Russian oil, arguing it was funding the war in Ukraine.

Hot on the heels of Putin's India visit, ex-Pentagon official Michael Rubin said that Trump deserved a Nobel for bringing Russia and India together.

India's Russian crude imports may hit a four-year low in January 2026 due to US sanctions, forcing refiners to seek alternatives. Despite pressure, Russia is exploring new channels, with potential for non-sanctioned oil flows to resume.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged to widen economic ties in the face of pressure from US President Donald Trump to slam the brakes on an oil trade that surged after the Kremlin’s war on Ukraine.