India-US relations face sharp tensions after President Donald Trump imposed heavy tariffs on Indian goods. Former top US officials Jake Sullivan and Kurt M. Campbell warned that Washington must not ignore India’s role as a key global partner.
In a Foreign Affairs article, the ex-officials said the US must repair ties with India to avoid losing its innovation edge to China. They stressed that bipartisan support for India in Washington has deterred Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific.
They urged US partners to remind Indian leaders that Trump’s tough stance is often a tactic before making deals.
Trade Tensions and Strategic Risks
The Biden-era officials said tariffs, India’s Russian oil imports, and renewed Pakistan tensions triggered a “rapid downturn” in relations. They warned that continued discord could push India closer to China and Russia. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, they said, highlighted the risk.
India could end up squeezed—facing China on its border and losing access to advanced US technology, education, and defense cooperation.
Beyond the Status Quo
Sullivan and Campbell said the US and India must move beyond the old status quo. They recalled earlier breakthroughs like the US-India Civil Nuclear Agreement under George W. Bush and Manmohan Singh, and Biden-Modi cooperation in AI, biotech, and aerospace.
They added that Trump’s approach risks reversing decades of progress.
No “India-Pakistan” Policy
The officials argued that the US should avoid linking its India and Pakistan policies. Washington’s long-term interests with India, they said, outweigh its narrower concerns with Pakistan. They criticized Trump for taking credit for the India-Pakistan ceasefire despite New Delhi’s denials.
Recently, Trump warmed ties with Pakistan by hosting its army chief, Asim Munir, and signing a trade deal that included promises to develop Islamabad’s oil reserves. Soon after, the US hit India with a 25% tariff on imports.
Five Pillars for a New Alliance
Sullivan and Campbell proposed a new US-India treaty based on five pillars: security, prosperity, values, innovation, and resilience.
They called for a ten-year action plan to boost cooperation in AI, semiconductors, biotech, quantum, clean energy, telecom, and aerospace. The plan would build a shared technology ecosystem with allies, ensuring democracies retain their innovation edge over China.
They stressed that both countries must invest in R&D, share talent, align cybersecurity policies, and coordinate export controls.