United States Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove has issued a pointed warning regarding the deteriorating state of India-US relations, raising concerns about long-term consequences for the bilateral partnership.

Speaking at a congressional hearing focused on the US-India Strategic Partnership, she questioned whether President Donald Trump risks becoming "the president who lost India," drawing attention to escalating tensions over tariffs, visa fees, and underlying political grievances.

Kamlager-Dove emphasised the strategic importance of India in several critical sectors for the United States, including defence, energy, artificial intelligence, space exploration, and cutting-edge technological fields.

She characterised the relationship as potentially defining for the global positioning of both countries in the evolving 21st-century international order. In this context, she highlighted the role of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue—the Quad—as a key mechanism to foster a stable, free, and open Indo-Pacific region, underscoring its significance for shared security interests.

Despite these high stakes, Kamlager-Dove portrayed a stark shift in the trajectory of bilateral relations since President Trump assumed office. She argued that the partnership was inherited in a state of vigorous momentum driven by a revitalised Quad, enhanced defence-technology collaboration, concerted supply chain coordination, and strong political will.

Instead of building on this foundation, she claimed, the administration’s actions have significantly undermined goodwill. Her metaphor "flush, flush, flush—flushed down the toilet" vividly conveyed the rapid and unfortunate decline in trust and cooperation.

Further deepening her critique, she asserted that President Trump’s policies and priorities have risked alienating India, whom she described as a critical and reliable partner. Her warning suggested that Trump's administration might be remembered for pushing India away, even while signalling a conciliatory attitude towards Russia, potentially at the cost of upsetting this vital bilateral alliance.

She accused the administration of eroding trust through policies driven more by personal political calculations and ambitions—particularly, she implied, a preoccupation with securing a Nobel Peace Prize—than by careful national interest considerations.

Tariffs and visa fee hikes emerged as the most tangible sources of friction. Representative Kamlager-Dove highlighted a steep 50 per cent tariff imposed on Indian goods, as well as a 25 per cent tariff on imports of Russian oil linked to India, which together have stalled high-level diplomatic engagements. 

These trade barriers were singled out as contributing factors to the postponement of the important Quad Leaders Summit, which had been intended as a platform for coordinated regional strategy and cooperation.

Visa policy changes have also provoked particular concern. The introduction of a new USD 100,000 fee on H-1B visas was sharply criticised due to its disproportionate impact on Indians, who constitute around 70 per cent of H-1B visa holders.

Kamlager-Dove pointed out that this policy shift directly harms skilled workers who have traditionally been instrumental in advancing US innovation across a range of sectors, including technology, science, and medicine.

Beyond bilateral impacts, Kamlager-Dove connected these tensions to broader regional implications. She argued that America’s tariff escalations and the cancellation of key summits have sent alarming signals of uncertainty across Asia.

In a geopolitical environment where China closely monitors shifts in regional alliances and tensions, such signs of discord between the US and India could undermine efforts to maintain regional balance and deterrence.

She characterised the current approach as counterproductive, metaphorically describing it as "cutting off one's nose to spite one's face." According to Kamlager-Dove, these developments risk causing real and lasting damage to the trust that underpins the US-India partnership.

She warned that a failure to recalibrate policies and rebuild goodwill may not only hamper bilateral cooperation but also weaken shared strategic interests vital to both nations.

In sum, Representative Kamlager-Dove’s remarks reflected a deep concern about the erosion of a once robust and promising partnership between the United States and India. She called for urgent attention to restore trust and reverse policy decisions seen as detrimental to the long-term collaboration and regional stability essential for both countries’ futures.

Based On ANI Report