‘India’s Rise Doesn’t Threaten Free World, Unlike China’: Nikki Haley Takes on Trump Amid 50% Tariffs
Former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has delivered a sharp critique of President Donald Trump’s hardline stance on India, arguing that New Delhi must be treated as a “prized free and democratic partner” and not an “adversary” like Beijing. In a forceful op-ed for Newsweek, Haley slammed the administration’s decision to impose steep tariffs on India for its Russian oil purchases while overlooking China’s similar actions, warning that scuttling 25 years of diplomatic progress with India would be a “strategic disaster.”
Haley directly challenged the administration’s logic, pointing out the disparity in its approach. “India must be treated like the prized free and democratic partner that it is – not an adversary like China, which has thus far avoided sanctions for its Russian oil purchases, despite being one of Moscow’s largest customers,” she wrote. Emphasizing the core difference between the two Asian giants, she added, “Unlike Communist-controlled China, the rise of a democratic India does not threaten the free world. Partnership between the U.S. and India to counter China should be a no-brainer.”
Laying out a clear strategic vision for the partnership, Haley highlighted India’s unique potential to help the United States shift critical supply chains away from Beijing. “India stands alone in its potential to manufacture at a China-like scale for products that can’t be quickly or efficiently produced here, like textiles, inexpensive phones, and solar panels,” she argued.
She also pointed to India’s growing security involvement in the Middle East and its crucial geographic location at the center of China’s vital trade routes, concluding, “Simply put, China’s ambitions will have to shrink as India’s power grows.”
While advising India to take Trump’s concerns over Russian oil imports seriously, Haley strongly urged the President to “reverse the downward spiral” and hold direct talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying, “The sooner the better.”
She called for the US to elevate the relationship by devoting more high-level attention and resources, approaching the level of focus given to China or Israel. Her intervention comes at a critical juncture, with India-US relations souring after Trump’s decision to impose the 50% tariffs on India while giving a pass to China for its larger energy trade with Russia.