US Experts Urge America to Preserve Ties with India, Warn Against Losing Ally over Pakistan

Washington: Geopolitical experts in the United States have warned the Trump administration to safeguard its relationship with India, cautioning that overtures toward Pakistan could risk losing a crucial ally.

Richard Fontaine and Lisa Curtis, writing in Foreign Affairs, noted that when Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, US-India relations were stronger than many had anticipated. However, according to the experts, Trump’s actions since then have strained the bilateral relationship to the brink, requiring years of effort to repair.

The article highlights instances where Trump reportedly sought credit for India’s Operation Sindhur, actions that provoked New Delhi’s displeasure, while Pakistan capitalized on the situation. Trump later invited Pakistan’s military chief, General Syed Asim Munir, to the Oval Office, further angering India. He also refused to sign a trade agreement with India and imposed higher tariffs on American exports to the country.

Fontaine and Curtis emphasized that in August of the previous year, Trump referred to India as a “dead economy.” In response, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited China—the first visit in seven years—leading Trump to conclude that the US had “lost India.” The experts stressed, however, that while bilateral relations are currently strained, they are not completely broken. Behind the scenes, the two governments continue to cooperate, but the partnership is shaky and requires urgent attention.

To mend ties, the article recommends that the US administration reduce tariffs on Indian goods, abandon claims of mediating peace between India and Pakistan, and cease attempts to intervene in the decades-old Kashmir dispute. Fontaine and Curtis acknowledge that these steps may be difficult for Trump, given his focus on reducing the US trade deficit and seeking Nobel recognition. Nevertheless, they argue that repairing the US-India relationship is essential, as India remains a global swing state whose policies and actions significantly impact the international order.

“India understands America’s concerns regarding Chinese power and is committed to strengthening Indo-Pacific democracies through collaboration,” the experts wrote. “Maintaining this partnership is critical; losing it would be a significant strategic setback for Washington.”