Amid the Trump administration’s punitive tariffs on India over its Russian oil trade, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has warned that relations between Washington and New Delhi are nearing a breaking point. In a Newsweek op-ed published Wednesday, Haley stressed the urgency of restoring ties, saying U.S.-India cooperation is critical to containing China’s growing global ambitions.
Haley urged the administration not to treat India as an adversary akin to China, warning that disputes over tariffs and the U.S. role in India-Pakistan ceasefire negotiations must not derail one of the world’s most important bilateral relationships.
In recent weeks, U.S.-India relations have suffered a sharp downturn. The Trump administration imposed a 25% tariff on India for its continued purchases of Russian oil—on top of an existing 25% duty on Indian goods. These moves followed months of rising tensions, particularly over New Delhi’s rejection of U.S. involvement in regional diplomacy with Pakistan.
“To achieve the Trump administration’s foreign policy goals—outcompeting China and achieving peace through strength—few objectives are more critical than getting U.S.-India relations back on track,” Haley wrote.
A longtime critic of Trump despite endorsing his 2024 candidacy, Haley emphasized that India must be valued as a vital democratic partner, unlike China, which has thus far avoided sanctions for its own purchases of Russian oil, despite being one of Moscow’s largest customers.
“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 warned.
In the short term, Haley added, India is also crucial to Washington’s efforts to shift critical supply chains away from China.