"Huge Loss": US Threw Away India Ties For Tariff Policy, Says Ex US NSA Susan Rice

Former US National Security Advisor Susan Rice has criticized the Trump administration for damaging US-India relations, stating that India is a "proud and strong nation" that might "go in a different direction" due to the current US political approach. Speaking at a Council on Foreign Relations event, Rice emphasized that this growing distance represents a "huge loss" for the United States.

Rice claimed that India has been "pushed into" closer alignment with Russia and China within the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. She criticized President Trump for taking undue credit regarding India-Pakistan tensions while simultaneously deteriorating relations with New Delhi.

Despite these concerns, recent developments suggest potential improvement in bilateral relations. President Trump recently called Prime Minister Narendra Modi to extend birthday greetings on his 75th birthday. PM Modi responded by thanking his "friend" Trump and expressing commitment to strengthening the India-US Comprehensive and Global Partnership.

In his social media response, Modi also voiced support for Trump's initiatives toward resolving the Ukraine conflict. Trump subsequently posted on Truth Social acknowledging Modi's support and praising his leadership: "Just had a wonderful phone call with my friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I wished him a very Happy Birthday! He is doing a tremendous job. Narendra: Thank you for your support on ending the War between Russia and Ukraine!"

Nevertheless, Rice maintains that the Trump administration's approach has undermined decades of bipartisan efforts to strengthen US-India ties. She specifically criticized recent tariff policies ostensibly targeting India's relationship with Russia over Ukraine, suggesting they stem more from "personal pique" than strategic considerations.

According to Rice, successive Democratic and Republican administrations had "assiduously" built the relationship over thirty years, only to see it compromised "in a matter of weeks" under the current administration.