Need to move beyond the plateau in India-US relations

India is not seeking a rupture in relations, but neither should it be too meek to speak out when it matters most. I believe that this is what India has been doing of late, as reflected in the recent speeches of the PM, FM and EAM.

Notwithstanding the expansion and strengthening of ties across various spheres, some wrinkles began to appear in India-US relations at the very start of President Donald Trump’s second term.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the early visitors to the White House in Trump 2.0, visiting on February 12-13, 2025. Despite accusations by the US that India was the “tariff king”, a difficult country to do business with, and that it was fleecing the US market, being on the wrong side of history and funding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine—remarks expressed in an undiplomatic manner by key members of the Trump administration—India remained reluctant to publicly acknowledge strains in the relationship. This was despite being penalised with an additional 25% tariff for importing Russian oil and facing accusations from opposition parties that the Modi government lacked the courage to stand up to a bullying US.

The controversy surrounding the US role, if any, in mediating the ceasefire between India and Pakistan following Operation Sindoor created further unease. The warmth and bonhomie extended to Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, General Munir, in the aftermath of the bloody terrorist attack in Pahalgam exacerbated the situation.

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The current US Ambassador, Sergio Gor, a close confidant of President Trump, has been making vigorous efforts to improve relations between the two countries. He has met Indian ministers, chief ministers and industry leaders, promoting bilateral business and investment. He has also sought to smooth ruffled feathers by repeatedly emphasising, in glowing terms, the warmth and personal friendship between the Indian Prime Minister and the US President. He is rightly credited with facilitating the signing of the Interim Framework Agreement in February 2026, which resulted in the lifting of the 25% punitive duty imposed on imports of Russian oil. He also facilitated India’s entry into Pax Silica.