Nikki Haley Calls on Trump to Value India as Key Partner Amid Tariff Row

Amid rising tensions over Washington’s proposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods, former U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley has called for a strategic reset of U.S.–India relations. Writing in Newsweek, Haley urged policymakers to view India as a “valued free and democratic partner,” warning that undermining 25 years of bilateral progress would be a “strategic disaster.”

Key Highlights

• Nikki Haley warns Trump against harming ties with India, calling it a prized democratic partner.
• She criticizes U.S. double standards—lenient toward China while threatening tariffs on strategic ally India.

Haley argued that India is a natural counterweight to Chinese dominance in Asia, pointing out that unlike communist-ruled China, India’s economic rise strengthens the free world. She stressed India’s potential to match China’s manufacturing scale, its critical role in diversifying U.S. supply chains, and its growing influence in the Middle East as reasons to deepen cooperation.

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The former diplomat highlighted India’s rapid economic growth — now the fastest among major economies — and ongoing border tensions with China as additional factors necessitating stronger U.S. ties. She cautioned that allowing a trade dispute to escalate into a lasting rift would only benefit Beijing.

Haley also urged India to consider U.S. concerns over Russian oil imports and collaborate with Washington to find common ground, warning that China could exploit any widening gap between the two democracies.