‘5-alarm fire’: Indian-US Congressman on Trump tariffs; accuses president of undermining Washington-Delhi strategic ties
Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna on Tuesday sharply criticised Donald Trump’s decision to impose 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, warning it threatens decades of US-India strategic cooperation.Also Read | ‘I am waiting for all those Indian Americans who…’: Ro Khanna on India tariff; ‘You know who you are’Khanna, a Democrat and co-chair of the United States-India Caucus, accused Trump of ‘undermining’ three decades of bipartisan efforts that had strengthened the strategic US-India alliance.“I want to sound the five-alarm fire (alert for an exceptionally large and destructive fire) on what Donald Trump is doing to destroy the US-India relationship,” Khanna said in a video posted on his X handle.The California representative added: “He (Trump) has imposed a 50 per cent tariff on India, higher (joint-highest) than any other country other than Brazil. It’s a higher tariff than the tariff on China. It is hurting India’s exports of leather and textiles into the United States. And it’s hurting American manufacturers and our exports into India. It is also driving India towards China and towards Russia.”Also Read | ‘One-sided relationship’: Trump repeats tariff charge on India; cites Harley DavidsonKhanna also said the tariffs are pushing India closer to China and Russia – Washington’s traditional rivals – and attributed the action to New Delhi’s refusal to nominate Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize, despite his repeated claims of mediating the India-Pakistan conflict.“Now, why is this happening? For very simple reasons. Prime Minister Modi refused to nominate Donald Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize. Well, Pakistan did. And India has said that the border dispute with Pakistan is an internal matter, refusing to give Donald Trump credit,” Khanna stated.The Congressman also stressed the strategic importance of the US-India relationship.“We can’t allow the ego of Donald Trump to destroy a strategic relationship with India that is key to ensuring that America leads and not China. To all those Indian-Americans who voted for Donald Trump, I’m asking you, where are you today while he destroys this relationship?” he remarked.Twenty-five percent of the tariffs imposed by Washington target New Delhi, citing its alleged support of Putin’s war effort in Ukraine through Russian oil purchases. This second tranche took effect on August 27.
