A U.S.-India trade agreement is about more than commerce. It is about security. In an effort to push India to cross unreasonable thresholds on agriculture market access, the Trump administration is depleting the reservoir of trust that both nations have painstakingly built over a generation. Notably, the administration’s August 6 executive order adds an additional 25 percent tariff on India in response to India’s purchases of Russian oil. Despite the “doom and gloom” and memories of 1998 and 2013, ties can still be largely repaired if the United States chooses. But this requires a deeper appreciation for India’s true “redlines” on agriculture market access and a consistent approach to Russia. The U.S.-India wider strategic relationship is at serious risk.
After New Tariffs, Trust Between the United States and India Is Running Low
