Former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has strongly criticized President Donald Trump’s policy for India. Haley said that India should be seen as a “valuable independent and democratic partner”, not as a “rival” like China. He warned that weakening the progress of relations between the US and India for the last 25 years would be a “strategic disaster”.
Haley made this comment in an idea of his idea published in American magazine Newsweek. He questioned Trump’s policy that did not impose additional duty on China, while India was banned to import oil from Russia. Haley said that India’s bulge is not a threat to the free world, “On the contrary, the increasing strength of the communist-controlled China is a matter of global concern.”
Nikki Haley wrote, “India should be seen as a valuable democratic partner, not a rival like China, who has continued to buy oil from Russia but was not banned. It would be a big mistake if this inequality is not noticed. It would be a big mistake. It would be strategically fatal to weaken 25 years of relations with India.”
He added, “India is not a threat to the democratic bulge-free world. The US-India partnership should be a natural step to counter China.”
Haley also said that India can play an important role in separating the US supply chain from China. He wrote, “India is the only country in a short time that has a manufacturing capacity like China. When America is trying to bring back to its country, India can become an important ally for products like textile, cheap phones and solar panels.”
He also said that India’s growing influence and its security role in the Middle East is important for the US, especially when Washington wants to reduce its military and economic participation there. India’s strategic position can complicate China’s energy and business supply lines.
Nikki Haley advised India to take the Trump administration’s concerns seriously and work with the White House to find a solution when they buy oil from Russia. He also appealed to Trump to communicate directly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and bring the relationship back on track. He said, “The sooner it is good.”
Haley suggested that the US should improve relations with India and give it more resources and high level importance, just as it gives to China and Israel. Currently, Indo-US relations declined when Trump imposed a 50% fee on India for continuing oil purchases from Russia, while giving China a discount, which is Russia’s largest energy importer.
