American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi warned that the US-India relationship has entered a cold and frigid phase. He cautioned that recent US policy shifts are undermining a partnership built over three decades. Krishnamoorthi said this during his keynote address at the India Abroad Dialogue in Chicago.
He said that the India-US relationship should be warm and continue to rise in importance. Citing shared commitments to equality, freedom, democracy, minority rights, secularism and free enterprise, Krishnamoorthi added that India’s strategic value goes beyond economics and India is an incredibly important partner and friend of the USA. He sharply criticised the Trump administration’s tariff policy.
Krishnamoorthi emphasised that imposing higher tariffs on India than on China was strategically counterproductive. He said that USA must not push away its friends and allies like India since USA is trying to counterbalance the influence of China in the world.
The Congressman also defended legal immigration and warned that anti-Indian sentiment was rising in the country. He added that USA would not have Dr Bharat Barai- an eminent Indian American, if US didn’t have a legal immigration system. Calling Indian Americans the greatest export of India, he added that the five-million-strong community served as bridge builders between New Delhi and Washington.
Krishnamoorthi. The US-India strategic partnership has expanded significantly since the early 2000s, encompassing defence cooperation, technology, and trade.
India Abroad Dialogue- a 10-city tour started in Detroit in Michigan state od USA on Saturday. It is being held in partnership with the Foundation of India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS), the US Indian Community Foundation and several other community organisations.
