Daijiworld Media Network - Chicago
Chicago, Dec 15: Prominent US Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has cautioned that relations between the United States and India have entered what he described as a “cold and frigid” phase, warning that recent policy decisions could erode a partnership that has taken decades to build.
Speaking during his keynote address at the India Abroad Dialogue in Chicago, Krishnamoorthi used a weather metaphor to underline his concern. “The weather outside reflects the current state of the US–India relationship — cold and frigid,” he said, adding that the partnership should instead be warm and steadily growing in importance.
He expressed concern that recent developments have pushed the relationship in the wrong direction, despite India’s status as one of the world’s largest economies and its largest democracy. Stressing India’s strategic importance, the Congressman said the partnership extended far beyond trade and economics.
“India is an essential partner and friend,” he said, highlighting shared values such as democracy, equality, freedom, minority rights, secularism and free enterprise, along with adherence to what he termed the “international rules of the road.”
Krishnamoorthi strongly criticised the Trump administration’s tariff proposals, particularly the idea of imposing a 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods. He described the move as “arbitrary” and lacking any logical or economic justification.
“A 50 per cent tariff on India makes no sense whatsoever,” he said, suggesting that such decisions appeared to be driven by social media posts rather than sound trade policy. He also questioned the strategic rationale of levying steeper tariffs on India than on China, arguing that it undermines efforts to counter Beijing’s global influence.
“When the goal is to balance the power of the Chinese Communist Party, why would we alienate trusted partners like India?” he asked.
The Congressman characterised China as a “triple threat” — economic, military and technological — accusing it of intellectual property theft, market manipulation through subsidies, and weaponising industrial monopolies across sectors ranging from steel and solar energy to electric vehicles.
Krishnamoorthi also defended legal immigration, pushing back against calls for tighter restrictions. He described legal immigration as a cornerstone of American success, noting that many influential Indian Americans, including leaders in business, medicine and public service, would not be in the US without it.
Praising the Indian American community as “India’s greatest export,” he said the five-million-strong diaspora plays a critical role as a bridge between Washington and New Delhi.
He further warned of a troubling rise in anti-Indian rhetoric, revealing that a US official had recently called for his deportation. He described such statements as deeply alarming and harmful to democratic discourse.
Despite current strains, the US–India strategic partnership has expanded significantly since the early 2000s, particularly in defence, technology and trade. Both nations continue to see each other as key partners in maintaining balance in the Indo-Pacific region.
The India Abroad Dialogue, a 10-city national tour, began in Detroit on Saturday and is being organised in collaboration with the Foundation of India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS), the US Indian Community Foundation and other community groups.