‘India Empowers, China Intimidates’: Nikki Haley Responds to Trump’s 50% Tariff Remark

Nikki Haley Urges Trump to Reset India Ties, Warns Against Treating New Delhi Like China.

Former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has urged Donald Trump to rethink his approach toward India, stressing that New Delhi must be treated as a “prized free and democratic partner,” not an adversary like Beijing.

In an opinion piece for Newsweek, Haley argued that undermining decades of effort to strengthen US-India ties would be a “strategic disaster.” She criticised Trump for penalising India with steep tariffs over Russian oil imports while letting China—Moscow’s largest customer—escape similar measures.

“Unlike Communist-controlled China, the rise of a democratic India does not threaten the free world. The US-India partnership to counter China should be a no-brainer,” Haley wrote.

She highlighted India’s potential to help Washington shift supply chains away from Beijing by manufacturing at scale in sectors like textiles, solar panels, and affordable electronics. Haley also underlined India’s growing influence in the Middle East and its strategic location along China’s vital trade and energy routes, which could prove critical in a crisis.

At the same time, she urged India to engage with Washington on resolving disputes over Russian oil purchases, while calling on Trump to “reverse the downward spiral” in relations and hold direct talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“The administration should focus on mending the rift with India and giving the relationship more high-level attention and resources—approaching what the US devotes to China or Israel,” Haley added.

Her remarks come amid heightened tensions in India-US ties after Trump imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods over oil trade with Russia, even as China faced no such penalties despite being Moscow’s biggest buyer.