Sen. Mark Warner Says Trump Tariffs Have Set Back U.S.-India Ties
Washington — Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said President Donald Trump’s tariff policies have disrupted growing economic ties between the United States and India, setting back relations despite an expanding strategic partnership.
Warner described India as one of America’s most important geopolitical partners and said successive U.S. administrations had worked to strengthen bilateral relations.
“One of the things that every administration since President Bush has tried to do is try to align and become a better partner with India,” Warner told IANS in response to a question.
“I’m very proud of the fact that I’m the co-chair of the India Caucus in the Senate. I think the relationship with India is one of the most geopolitically important relationships for America.”
Warner said strategic cooperation had expanded through the Quad, which brings together the United States, India, Japan and Australia.
“I’m glad to see that things like the Quad that has India, Japan, Australia, America, to work together on defence, we’d made this great progress,” he added.
Asked about a proposed U.S.-India trade agreement, Warner said Trump’s tariff decisions had damaged the relationship.
“Remember a year or so ago when President Trump slapped the highest tariff of a 50 per cent tariff on India when he didn’t slap that similar tariff on China, who was also buying Russian oil,” he added.
“So I think all of that progress has been set back because of the arbitrary nature of Trump’s tariffs on India.”
Warner said he was encouraged by indications that relations were improving, but added that it remained unclear whether progress had been made when Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met privately on the sidelines of the G7 Summit.
“Things seem to be getting a bit better. I still don’t have a readout of when at the G7 meeting, when President Trump and Prime Minister Modi met privately, whether progress was made,” Warner added.
Restoring trade momentum should be a priority for both countries, Warner said.
“We were seeing accelerated trade between our two countries dramatically rise. It took a big dip over the last year and we’ve gotta get it back on track. Again for both trading purposes, for bringing our countries closer together, for national security means,” he added.
Warner also highlighted India’s growing importance in biotechnology and artificial intelligence and credited the Indian American community with helping strengthen bilateral ties.
“India is a great power in terms of the bio space. It is increasingly gonna be a major power in AI,” Warner said.
“One of the greatest assets we have for this relationship is the Indian diaspora in America, which is so incredibly successful and important on helping build these ties.”
Warner said the recent trade tensions reflected what he described as the administration’s broader approach toward New Delhi.
“In many ways, the bump in terms of our trade relations was caused because of what clearly appears to be a Trump effort to sometimes favour some of India’s neighbours more than India,” Warner said. (Source: IANS)
