Former US National Security Adviser, criticised Trump’s tariffs on India, stating they harm US-India relations and push India closer to China while damaging America’s global reputation.
Former National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has criticized US President Donald Trump for initiating a “massive trade offensive” against India. According to Sullivan, Trump’s actions are pushing New Delhi closer to China.
During an interview on The Bulwark Podcast with Tim Miller, Sullivan said, numerous US allies and partners now view Washington as a significant “disruptor” rather than a dependable partner. At the same time, China has increased its global popularity.
“When I go to these places now and I talk to leaders, they are talking about derisking from the United States. They now see the US as the big disruptor, the country that can’t be counted on,” Sullivan said. “China has moved ahead of the United States in popularity in a whole lot of countries. And that was not the case one year ago, where countries now are basically saying the US brand is in the toilet and China is looking like a responsible player,” he said.
India in the crossfire
Sullivan cited India as a key example, noting that the US had been working to strengthen its partnership with New Delhi on a bipartisan basis, especially in the context of the China challenge. However, Trump’s imposition of extensive tariffs has strained relations, compelling India “to sit with China.”
“Take a look at India, as another example. Here’s a country that on a bipartisan basis, we were working and trying to build a deeper and more sustainable relationship with, and the China challenge loomed large in that. Now you have got President Trump executing a massive trade offensive against them and the Indians are saying, ‘Well, I guess maybe we have to go show up in Beijing and sit with the Chinese because we got a hedge against America’,” he added.
How tariff has impacted?
These comments from the former top US official were made shortly after Trump’s 50% tariff on India took effect on August 27. The tariffs on Indian exports represent the highest tariff imposed on any country, a move expected to negatively impact growth and employment. Trump has justified the additional 25% tariffs by pointing to New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil.
The high tariffs on India have sparked concerns about exports to the US, potentially affecting sectors such as textiles, jewelry, and mechanical appliances.
Earlier on Friday, a report from a leading American investment bank stated that the US tariffs on Indian goods are largely due to President Donald Trump’s “personal pique” over not being allowed to mediate in the India-Pakistan conflict.
The Jefferies report mentioned that Trump had “hoped to intervene” in the India-Pakistan conflict in May. The report also highlighted agriculture as another point of contention in the trade relations between the two countries.
Reportedly, Sullivan claimed that this approach hinders US efforts to foster long-term strategic ties with India: “Here’s a country we were trying to build a deeper and more sustainable relationship with. Instead, because of these tariffs, India now feels compelled to explore closer engagement with China.”