An open letter to President Donald J Trump

Time of India

16 hours ago

Dear President Trump,
When you assumed office, India felt a surge of hope. A hope that your clarity on partnerships and strategy would lead to a stronger, more principled global leadership. We believed our time-tested ties would deepen, built on parity, not pressure. Yet on August 6, 2025, your administration chose to impose an additional 25% tariff on Indian imports, raising the total to 50%, citing our continued purchase of Russian oil. For two nations that have long claimed a strategic, values-based partnership, this move is deeply disappointing—and strategically incoherent.
Today, August 7, marks the anniversary of the Swadeshi Movement—a historic assertion of economic self-reliance. If India were to channel that spirit today and initiate a boycott of U.S. businesses, the impact would be far greater on America than on us on multiple fronts. U.S. firms earn over $80 billion annually from India, with critical stakes in education, tech, finance, and IP. US Aviation deals with India alone were worth $2.45 billion in 2022, and sectors like MRO, navigation, and air traffic systems remain deeply tied to India. Moreover, U.S. exports in manufacturing exceed $42 billion. Meanwhile, India's $200 billion IT industry powers much of America's digital backbone. Over 70% of skilled U.S. visas go to Indians because a third of your AI workforce is of Indian origin, while additionally, Indian students contribute $8 billion annually to your economy. If India looked inward, it wouldn't just signal economic nationalism—it would unearth America's dependence on Indian markets, talent, and momentum.
Your own administration's 2025 Annual Threat Assessment identifies China as a systemic rival challenging U.S. interests through conventional and asymmetric tools. And yet, you choose to use the word 'penalty', which is unparliamentary and diplomatically unwelcome. India is not just resilient—we are rising. A 'dead economy' cannot be the world's fourth-largest, soon to be the third, and remain the fastest-growing among major nations. With a 1.4 billion population and a median age under 30, we are dynamic, digital, and determined. Morgan Stanley estimates our middle class alone will drive $5 trillion in consumption by 2031. This is not just India's story—it's the Global South's opportunity for the Global North. It is also telling that your close ally, the European Union, recorded over €67.5 billion in trade with Russia last year, including record LNG imports, even as it calls for others to scale back. What is more surprising is that the United States continues to quietly import uranium hexafluoride for its nuclear industry, palladium for its EV industry, fertilisers, and chemicals from Russia—the same Russia from which you do not want us to buy oil. In fact, your remarks on August 5 this year revealed a startling lack of awareness about this very dependence. And yet, India is singled out for securing energy access in line with its sovereign needs. Should a nation sanction India for trade with Russia when it itself relies on the Kremlin for its domestic interests?
Instilling the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, we have stood by the US in the Quad, in counterterrorism, during COVID, and through intelligence sharing post-9/11. Yet, we have also seen trust tested—through military aid to Pakistan, strategic silences, and visa uncertainties. Still, we chose engagement over estrangement. But the future now lies in the hands of those who understand that diplomacy and cooperation are the way forward—not sweeping tariffs.
Mr. President, let us choose dialogue over discord, coordination over coercion. Let us shape the future—through respect, resolve, and renewed commitment to a rules-based global order.
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Views expressed above are the author's own.