New York – A US congressman of Indian origin along with two former top officials have warned that President Donald Trump’s actions are undermining the strategic partnership between the United States and India. They cautioned that the arrogance of America’s top leadership should not be allowed to destroy ties with the world’s largest democracy.
Congressman Ro Khanna, who also serves as co-chair of the US-India Caucus, expressed shock over what he described as Trump’s efforts to “destroy” decades of work that strengthened bilateral relations. Khanna accused Trump of weakening thirty years of progress in building the India-US alliance, pointing specifically to the imposition of tariffs, including a 25 percent levy on Russian oil purchases and a 50 percent tariff on Indian goods.
As per agency report, Khanna said that Trump’s policies are pushing India closer to China and Russia, creating a strategic setback for the United States. He noted that the tariffs placed on India are higher than those on almost any other country, with the exception of Brazil, and even exceed those imposed on China, the largest buyer of Russian energy.
Khanna emphasized that the move is hurting India’s leather and textile exports to the United States, while also affecting American manufacturers and US exports to India. He linked the deterioration in ties to a personal factor, claiming that relations soured when Prime Minister Narendra Modi declined to nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, a recognition that Pakistan had supported.
The remarks highlight growing concerns in US policy circles that Trump’s approach could weaken a partnership long considered vital for balancing regional and global strategic interests.
