‘Don’t Damage a Strategic Relationship’: Nikki Haley Warns Trump on India, Raises Alarm Over China
Nikki Haley has criticised former US President Donald Trump’s tariff threats against Indian products, cautioning that such actions could weaken a key strategic alliance.
Republican leader and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley has come out strongly against Donald Trump’s recent warning to significantly increase tariffs on Indian exports, saying that such a move could jeopardise the crucial US-India partnership. She urged the administration not to alienate India, especially while showing tariff leniency towards China— a country she described as a rival and the top importer of Russian and Iranian oil.
In what has emerged as the sharpest Republican rebuke so far to Trump’s increasingly confrontational trade position towards New Delhi, Haley posted on X (formerly Twitter):
“India should not be buying oil from Russia. But China, an adversary and the number one buyer of Russian and Iranian oil, got a 90-day tariff pause.”
Haley, who has consistently maintained a tough stance on China and expressed support for India’s rise as a strategic partner, further stated,
“Don’t give China a pass and damage ties with a strong ally like India.”
Donald Trump’s Latest Tariff Threat to India
Haley’s remarks came in response to Trump’s recent statement in which he warned that he would impose a “very substantial” increase in tariffs on Indian goods within 24 hours, citing India’s continued purchases of Russian crude oil. Speaking to CNBC, Trump argued that the US does “little business with India,” while India carries out “a lot of business with us.”
Earlier, on his platform Truth Social, Trump had alleged that India is purchasing “massive amounts of Russian oil” and reselling it for profit on the international market, despite the Ukraine conflict.
India Responds to Trump’s Allegations
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a firm rebuttal, describing Trump’s comments as “politically motivated” and “baseless.” The ministry clarified that India’s increased intake of Russian oil was a strategic decision made after traditional suppliers from the West redirected their energy exports to Europe due to the Ukraine crisis.
“The United States had, at the time, encouraged India to make such purchases in order to support stability in the global energy market,” the MEA noted.
The ministry also highlighted that both the US and several European countries continue to have strong trade links with Russia. It pointed out that the US itself imports uranium hexafluoride for nuclear power, palladium for EV manufacturing, and various fertilisers and chemicals from Russia.
“India, like any other major economy, will continue to take all necessary steps to protect its national interests and economic security,” the statement concluded.
