Trump ‘completely messed up’ India-US ties: Congressman Subramanyam

Washington: Indian American Congressman Suhas Subramanyam said President Donald Trump has “completely messed up” the India-US relationship, warning that deteriorating ties between the world’s two largest democracies are hurting both countries’ economic and strategic interests.

“In the end, the Trump administration has completely messed up the US-India relationship,” Subramanyam said, pointing to a sharp reversal from Trump’s first term. “This was an administration which, in its first term, President Trump actually strengthened the relationship with Prime Minister Modi,” he told IANS in an interview.

Subramanyam said the current downturn appears driven by personal and policy differences. “Now, because it seems personal issues with Prime Minister Modi, he is now ruining this economic relationship that has been so strong for so many years,” Subramanyam said. “It’s hurting both countries.”

The congressman warned that weakening ties with India would undermine US influence in Asia. “I think certainly going to continue to hurt our ability and influence in shaping policy in Asia,” he said, describing India as one of Washington’s most important long-term partners.

“It makes no sense to cut ties or to hurt the ties between us and India,” Subramanyam said. “In the end, if the US has a huge opportunity by strengthening the relationship with India, we can actually strengthen our economic power and economic influence.”

He said India is a natural strategic ally, particularly as Washington seeks to counter China. “As we look at what’s going on with China, India is a natural ally for us in many ways,” he said, calling it “one of the, if not the largest, democracy in the world.”

Subramanyam outlined areas where cooperation could deepen. “I’d like to see the US and India have more strategic defense partnerships,” he said. “I’d like to see more economic partnerships, technology partnerships.”

He pointed to shifting global supply chains as a major opportunity. “If companies look to divest from China, India’s a natural partner in that endeavor,” he said, citing manufacturing and industrial cooperation.

However, he said tariffs imposed by the Trump administration have undercut that potential. “It’s difficult when you have these tariffs really hurting the economic relationship,” he said. “The rhetoric around the tariffs coming from the Trump administration hurts us a lot.”

Despite bipartisan support for India in Congress, Subramanyam said executive actions have made progress harder. “There are many people on both sides of the aisle who are committed to the relationship,” he said. “But it’s very, very difficult when you see the actions of this Trump administration.”

Broadening his criticism, Subramanyam said US foreign policy has suffered more generally. “I’m very concerned about our foreign policy generally in the US right now,” he said, noting that promises to end wars and strengthen economic ties have not materialised.

“This was a Trump administration that came in saying they were gonna end all wars,” he said. “And it’s been the opposite.”

He said tariffs and fractured alliances have eroded trust. “We have broken a lot of our economic ties with countries with tariffs,” Subramanyam said. “A lot of our allies don’t trust us anymore because of that.”

Looking ahead, he said Congress would need to repair relationships damaged over the past year. “We have to change the tide here, or at least figure out a way to work in Congress to strengthen some of these relationships that have been broken by the Trump administration, including India,” he said.

According to the recently passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), India and the United States have steadily expanded defense, technology, and people-to-people ties over the past two decades, with bipartisan support in Washington and New Delhi. Cooperation has spanned trade, defense procurement, and strategic coordination in the Indo-Pacific, NDAA said.

Analysts have long viewed the India-US partnership as central to balancing China’s rise, making congressional concern over any sustained downturn in relations particularly significant, according to a recent Congressional Research Service report.

IANS