New Delhi, Aug 7
Leading foreign policy and national security expert Lisa Curtis, who served as former Deputy Assistant during US President Donald Trump’s first term, on Thursday called the decision by Trump to impose additional tariffs on India “shocking,” while highlighting India’s rapidly growing economy as a major strength in the strategic partnership between the two nations.

Speaking exclusively to IANS, Curtis expressed surprise at the 25 per cent tariff announced by President Trump on Indian imports, especially since China -- a strategic rival of the US -- has not faced similar measures despite importing Russian oil.

“India is a strategic partner of the United States. China is a strategic rival. So, this really doesn’t make sense,” she told IANS.

However, Curtis noted that the recent tariff move marks a shift from the earlier approach during Trump’s first term, when efforts were focused on building trust and strengthening cooperation with India.

“During the first Trump term, we saw a concerted effort to elevate the relationship with India, to build trust and confidence. This tariff decision shows a completely different approach,” she noted.

Curtis, currently a senior fellow and director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), also pointed out the economic realities behind India’s current import patterns, explaining that “India hardly imported any oil from Russia before the Ukraine crisis. Now Russia is one of India’s biggest oil suppliers. It wouldn’t damage India’s economy to shift back to other suppliers.”

Curtis served as deputy assistant to the president and US National Security Council (NSC) Senior Director for South and Central Asia from 2017 to 2021. During her tenure at the NSC, she coordinated US policy development and implementation of the South Asia Strategy approved by the president in 2017 and was a key contributor to the Indo-Pacific Strategic Framework, which included expanding Quad security cooperation.

Addressing US foreign policy more broadly, Curtis warned against an overly narrow focus on tariffs and market access.

“You can’t formulate an effective foreign policy by boiling everything down to tariffs,” she said, adding, “relationships are built on military cooperation, political cooperation, and strategic convergence, not just trade.”

Looking ahead, Curtis remains cautiously optimistic about the potential for a positive outcome in the upcoming trade negotiations between the US and India scheduled at the end of August.

“We may very well get a deal, and that would help smooth over some of the unhelpful rhetoric of recent weeks,” she noted.

Despite the current tensions, Curtis expressed confidence in India’s economic strength and its important role on the global stage. “India benefits greatly from its partnership with the US and will likely seek ways to preserve and strengthen that relationship,” she explained.

Trump tariffs ‘shocking’, India’s growing economy its major strength: Lisa Curtis