Washington: Republican leader Nikki Haley has warned that U.S.-India ties are entering a “downward spiral” and urged President Donald Trump’s administration to reset the relationship, describing India as a “prized free and democratic partner” rather than an adversary.
Writing in Newsweek magazine, Haley underlined that strengthening ties with New Delhi is critical to Washington’s foreign policy goals of countering China and achieving peace through strength. Her remarks come at a time of heightened strain between the two nations after President Trump announced steep tariffs on Indian exports.
The Trump administration recently imposed a 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods, including an additional 25 per cent duty linked to New Delhi’s purchase of Russian crude oil. Haley argued that such a move risks derailing decades of progress in bilateral cooperation. “Scuttling 25 years of momentum with the only country that can serve as a counterweight to Chinese dominance in Asia would be a strategic disaster,” she cautioned.
Haley noted that Washington has so far avoided sanctioning Beijing for its own Russian oil imports despite China being one of Moscow’s largest energy customers. She said this disparity highlights the need for a fresh look at U.S.-India relations.
“India must be treated like the prized free and democratic partner that it is—not an adversary like China,” she emphasized.
Highlighting India’s growing importance in global trade, Haley said New Delhi can help shift supply chains away from China with its capacity to manufacture at scale in areas such as textiles, electronics, and renewable energy. She also pointed to India’s expanding defense cooperation with the U.S. and allies, its role in West Asia, and its strategic location along critical trade routes as evidence of its rising geopolitical weight.
Haley, who served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations during Trump’s first presidential term, was the first Indian-American to hold a cabinet-level post in the U.S. government. She briefly contested the 2024 presidential election before withdrawing from the race in March 2024.
Her call to action signals rising concern among Republicans over the trajectory of U.S.-India relations, with many seeing New Delhi as a vital ally in Washington’s strategy to balance Beijing’s influence in Asia.
