US lawmakers criticise Trump's India policy after Putin’s visit
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US lawmakers sharply criticised President Donald Trump’s approach to India after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent visit to New Delhi, saying the administration’s policies are pushing India closer to Russia.
US Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove said the growing diplomatic engagement between India and Russia is a direct consequence of Trump’s foreign policy decisions. She cited key outcomes of Putin’s visit, including plans to boost bilateral trade to 100 billion dollars by 2030, Russia’s agreement to import Indian agricultural products and shrimp hit by US tariffs, and expanded cooperation on India’s nuclear energy programme.
Kamlager-Dove accused the Trump administration of weakening a crucial strategic partnership.
She said Trump’s policies toward India were “cutting our nose to spite our face” and warned that coercive behaviour has long-term costs.
She referred to the 50 percent tariffs the US imposed on Indian goods over what Washington called trade barriers, as well as accusations that India was aiding Russia’s war in Ukraine by buying discounted crude oil.
She urged the US Congress to act quickly to repair the relationship. She told the House Foreign Affairs South and Central Asia Subcommittee that the US must work to restore ties with India, which she described as essential to American prosperity, security, and global leadership.
US Representative Bill Huizenga also stressed the importance of the US India partnership.
He said Putin’s trip had raised concerns at a time when authoritarian powers like China and Russia are redrawing borders, undermining democratic norms, and coercing neighbours. He said the relationship with India is now a defining partnership of the twenty-first century. He added that strong ties are necessary for a free Indo-Pacific, secure supply chains, and a world where democracy sets the rules.
Huizenga said American companies want fair access to the Indian market and argued that a new trade deal between Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi could strengthen ties. He also noted that earlier US administrations, regardless of political leanings, had consistently tried to deepen relations with India and did not consider the country a temporary or transactional partner.
