US Lawmaker Warns Trump Risks Losing India Amid Rising Tensions

United States Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove has raised alarms regarding the state of India-US relations, suggesting that President Donald Trump may risk becoming “the president who lost India.” Her comments came during a congressional hearing focused on the US-India Strategic Partnership, where she expressed concern over escalating tensions attributed to tariffs, visa fees, and political grievances.

Kamlager-Dove highlighted the importance of India in various sectors crucial to the United States, including defence, energy, artificial intelligence, space, and advanced technologies. “The US relationship with India will be defining for both countries in how we place ourselves in the 21st-century world order,” she stated. She emphasized that collaboration through the Quad, a strategic alliance involving the US, India, Japan, and Australia, is essential for maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

The representative pointed to a marked decline in goodwill between the two nations. She argued that President Trump inherited a robust partnership characterized by an energised Quad, increasing defence-technology cooperation, and coordinated supply-chain efforts. However, she claimed that this momentum has weakened under his administration. Kamlager-Dove lamented, “Flush, flush, flush — flushed down the toilet,” attributing the downturn to personal grievances rather than national interests.

Her warning intensified as she suggested that Trump could become the president who “lost India,” particularly in light of his increasing openness towards Russia. Kamlager-Dove accused him of undermining trust through trade policies and a perceived fixation on winning a Nobel Peace Prize. She pointed specifically to tariffs and visa measures as significant sources of friction.

The representative highlighted that a 50 percent tariff on Indian goods and a 25 percent tariff on India-linked Russian oil imports have hampered high-level engagement, resulting in the postponement of the Quad Leaders Summit. Additionally, she criticized the administration’s new USD 100,000 fee on H-1B visas, noting that Indians hold 70 percent of these visas. Kamlager-Dove remarked that this change directly harms workers who have significantly contributed to US innovation in technology, science, and medicine.

Connecting these policy decisions to broader regional implications, Kamlager-Dove argued that they are creating uncertainty across Asia. She noted that the escalation of tariffs and the cancellation of key summits send troubling signals, particularly as China closely observes regional dynamics. She stated that this approach amounts to “cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face,” resulting in “real and lasting damage” to the trust between Washington and New Delhi.

Kamlager-Dove’s comments underscore a growing concern among US lawmakers regarding the future of the India-US relationship, which many view as crucial for both nations in navigating the complex geopolitical landscape of the 21st century.