Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, in a strongly-worded opinion piece for Newsweek, has emphasized that treating India as a “prized free and democratic partner” is indispensable for the United States in the evolving global geopolitical order.

She warned that any move to weaken or derail the momentum of U.S.-India relations, carefully built over the past 25 years, would not only squander strategic opportunities but also amount to what she described as a “strategic disaster.”

This warning comes at a time of escalating trade disputes between Washington and New Delhi, with the U.S. recently levying a 25% ad valorem duty on Indian goods and preparing to double that tariff to 50% beginning August 27.

Haley’s article thus carries strong implications both for the bilateral economic partnership and the broader Indo-Pacific power balance.

Haley framed India as a natural ally of the United States and a key democratic counterweight to China’s ambitions in Asia. She reminded policymakers in Washington that, unlike Communist-controlled China whose rise seeks to challenge and reshape the global order, India’s rising power does not threaten the free world but rather reinforces the stability of democratic norms.

She approvingly noted India’s rapid economic ascent, pointing out that it is the world’s fastest-growing major economy and is poised to surpass Japan. India’s rise, she asserted, represents the single greatest obstacle to China’s long-term vision of global dominance. Simply put, in Haley’s words, as India’s power expands, China’s ambitions will be correspondingly constrained.

She also highlighted synergies in economic and supply chain resilience, arguing that India is uniquely positioned to reduce U.S. dependence on China.

According to Haley, India has the manufacturing capacity to match China in scale, particularly in sectors like textiles, solar panels, and consumer electronics—products that are vital to global supply chains but which cannot be swiftly or efficiently relocated to U.S. domestic production.

She proposed that increased economic collaboration between New Delhi and Washington, instead of trade hostilities, would be in America’s best interest, as it would both deepen bilateral ties and fortify supply chain security against Beijing’s leverage.

In terms of security and defence, Haley underscored India’s growing military capabilities and its expanding role in the Middle East. She argued that India’s active involvement in the region could prove essential for long-term stabilization at a time when the U.S. is seeking to reduce its troop commitments and financial burdens there.

Furthermore, India’s geographic position, with its central role along China’s critical trade and energy routes, provides New Delhi the ability to complicate Beijing’s strategic options in the event of major conflict scenarios. This makes India not just an Asian partner but a pivotal player in global security considerations.

Haley also touched upon India’s history of strained relations with China, such as the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, reaffirming that closer defence and strategic alignment between the U.S. and India could serve both countries’ interests in countering Chinese aggression.

She cautioned Washington against allowing a trade spat with New Delhi to spiral into a deeper rift, as doing so would not only provide China with strategic leverage but also undermine America’s efforts to build a stronger Indo-Pacific framework.

She recommended that President Donald Trump move swiftly to reverse the current downward trajectory in the bilateral relationship by initiating high-level dialogues with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Her suggestion was for Trump to devote to India the same level of high-profile attention and resources that the U.S. typically accords to its relationships with China or Israel, given the stakes involved.

Another major theme Haley raised was the geopolitical dynamic surrounding Russia. She urged India to take the Trump administration’s warnings on Russian oil purchases seriously, warning that Washington and New Delhi must find common ground on this issue to prevent fissures from widening.

At the same time, she noted the strategic incongruity that, while China—Moscow’s largest customer—has avoided sanctions, India’s comparatively smaller oil purchases from Russia have sparked disproportionate criticism from U.S. policymakers. This imbalance, she argued, should compel a reevaluation of America’s India policy to restore fairness and trust in the partnership.

In closing, Haley framed the U.S.-India relationship as inseparable from America’s long-term China strategy. She reminded leaders in Washington that the shared democratic values and mutual interests between the two countries make the U.S.-India partnership not just optional but essential. “To face China,” she wrote, “the United States must have a friend in India.”

Her prescription was clear: halt the escalation of economic hostilities, prioritize high-level diplomatic engagement with New Delhi, and treat India as the indispensable democratic power it is in Asia. Failing to do so, she warned, would mark not just a diplomatic setback, but an avoidable and dangerous strategic miscalculation for the United States.

Based On ANI Report