Nikki Haley Warns Against Straining US-India Ties

Nikki Haley called a strong partnership between the US and India a "no-brainer," stressing that the rise of a democratic India does not threaten the free world, "unlike Communist-controlled China."

"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. If that disparity does not demand a closer look at U.S.-India relations, the realities of hard power should. Scuttling 25 years of momentum with the only country that can serve as a counterweight to Chinese dominance in Asia would be a strategic disaster," Haley said.

"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," she added.

Haley pointed out that India has the potential to manufacture at a scale similar to China’s for products that can help the US move its critical supply chains away from Beijing. She also mentioned that India's growing defence capabilities and its involvement in the Middle East are "essential" for stabilising the region.

"In the short term, India is essential in helping the United States move its critical supply chains away from China. While the Trump administration works to bring manufacturing back to our shores, 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 said.

"India's growing clout and security involvement in the Middle East could prove essential in helping to stabilise the region as America seeks to send fewer troops and dollars there. And India's location at the centre of China's vital trade and energy flows could complicate Beijing's options in the case of a major conflict," she added.

Haley further noted that India is the world's fastest-growing major economy and will soon overtake Japan. She said India's rise is one of the "greatest obstacles to China's goal of reshaping the global order."

"Simply put, China's ambitions will have to shrink as India's power grows," she said, highlighting India’s conflicting economic interests and ongoing territorial disputes with China, including the Galwan Valley clash in 2020.

She argued that partnership with the US would help India stand up to its increasingly aggressive northern neighbour, both economically and militarily.

In her Newsweek article, Haley cautioned that it would be a massive — and preventable — mistake to let a trade spat between the United States and India balloon into an enduring rupture. She also warned that China could exploit such tensions.

She advised India to take US President Donald Trump's point on Russian oil seriously and work with the White House to find a solution.

Haley urged Trump to "reverse the downward spiral" and hold direct talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "The sooner the better," she said.

"The administration should focus on mending the rift with India and giving the relationship more high-level attention and resources — approaching what the U.S. devotes to China or Israel," she added.

She further stressed that the US should not lose sight of "our shared goals. To face China, the United States must have a friend in India."

This comes after the US levied an ad valorem duty of 25 per cent on Indian goods, and announced an additional 25 per cent tariff that will take effect from August 27, raising the total duty to 50 per cent.