US Lawmakers Urge Trump to Repair India Ties Amid Tariff Tensions

In a significant bipartisan effort, 21 US Congress members led by Deborah Ross and Ro Khanna have written to President Donald Trump, urging him to “reset and repair” the critical partnership with India. This appeal comes amid escalating trade tensions that have strained what was once considered a cornerstone relationship in US foreign policy. 

The core issue centers on tariffs that were raised to as high as 50 percent on Indian goods in late August 2025, including an initial 25 percent “reciprocal” levy, followed by an additional 25 percent duty in retaliation for India’s ongoing energy trade with Russia. These punitive measures have sparked concern among lawmakers who see them as counterproductive to American interests. 

The Economic Impact 

The congressional letter emphasizes that these tariffs have not only hurt India but have also damaged American economic interests. The lawmakers argue that such aggressive trade policies are harming American businesses and consumers who depend on Indian imports and bilateral trade relationships. The measures represent one of the most significant trade disputes between the two nations in recent history, threatening decades of growing economic cooperation. 

Geopolitical Concerns 

Perhaps more alarming to the lawmakers is the geopolitical dimension of this trade dispute. The Congress members claimed that tariffs had pushed India closer to China and Russia, a development that runs counter to longstanding US strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific region. As Washington seeks to counter Chinese influence in Asia and maintain pressure on Russia over its actions in Ukraine, alienating India—the world’s most populous democracy and a crucial regional power—could undermine broader American foreign policy objectives. 

The timing of this congressional intervention is particularly noteworthy. India has historically maintained a non-aligned stance in international affairs, carefully balancing relationships between major powers. However, aggressive US trade policies risk pushing New Delhi to strengthen alternative partnerships, potentially weakening the Quad alliance and other strategic frameworks that depend on US-India cooperation. 

A Call for Strategic Recalibration 

The lawmakers have urged Trump to “take immediate steps to reset and repair this critical partnership”, recognizing that the stakes extend far beyond trade statistics. The India-US relationship encompasses defense cooperation, technology partnerships, educational exchanges, and shared democratic values. Allowing this relationship to deteriorate over trade disputes could have cascading effects across multiple domains. 

The letter was co-signed by several prominent Democratic leaders, including Deborah Ross, Ro Khanna, Brad Sherman, and Sydney Kamlager-Dove, demonstrating that concern about India policy transcends partisan divisions. This bipartisan consensus underscores the gravity with which Congress views the current situation. 

As global power dynamics continue to shift, the United States faces a critical choice: whether to maintain punitive trade measures that provide short-term political satisfaction or to prioritize the long-term strategic partnership with India that serves broader American interests. The lawmakers’ letter represents an important voice advocating for the latter approach, urging the administration to look beyond immediate trade disputes toward the larger geopolitical picture.