US Lawmakers Urge Trump to Restore Ties with India, Warn of Growing India-China Proximity

• By Thetripurapost Web Desk, New York
• Oct 08, 2025
• 515

A group of 19 US lawmakers, including several Indian-American members, have written to President Donald Trump urging him to “restore” strained relations with India, warning that recent tariff policies have pushed New Delhi closer to China and Russia.

Led by Congresswoman Deborah Ross and Congressman Ro Khanna, the lawmakers said in a joint statement that the administration’s actions have “created negative consequences for both countries” and risk weakening one of America’s most crucial partnerships.

“Recent actions by your administration have strained relations with the world’s largest democracy… pushing India to increase engagement with regimes hostile to the United States, including China and Russia,” the statement said. It also noted India’s growing role as a “stabilizing force in the Indo-Pacific” through its participation in the Quad alliance alongside the US, Australia, and Japan.

The lawmakers criticized the 50% tariffs imposed on Indian goods — the highest in the world — over India’s continued purchase of Russian oil, calling the move “indiscriminate” and “economically harmful.”
“American manufacturers depend on India for key inputs in sectors from semiconductors to health care and energy,” they said, adding that American and Indian companies have deep economic ties that create “thousands of jobs” in both countries.

The statement follows Trump’s recent remarks claiming that “we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest China,” which drew criticism from diplomats and trade experts alike.

India, for its part, has defended its continued energy trade with Russia, asserting that the decision is “guided by market forces and national interest.”