New Delhi: Republican leader Nikki Haley on Saturday advised India to address Trump’s concern over the import of Russian oil. She urged India to work in sync with the White House to find a solution as soon as possible. She also highlighted India’s strategic importance to the US in countering China.
Nikki Haley’s comment comes as the US administration faces backlash for distorting decades-old relations with New Delhi. India recently hosted the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in New Delhi to resolve border tensions and reestablish trade between the two countries.
Taking to X, Nikki Haley said, “India must take Trump’s point over Russian oil seriously, and work with the White House to find a solution. The sooner the better.”
“Decades of friendship and goodwill between the world’s two largest democracies provide a solid basis to move past the current turbulence,” she added.
Highlighting the importance of India for countering China, Haley advised the US to foster friendly relations with India. “Navigating issues like trade disagreements and Russian oil imports demands hard dialogue. But, we should not lose sight of what matters most: our shared goals. To face China, the United States must have a friend in India,” she wrote.
This delicate balancing act is made more difficult by India’s public criticism of perceived US double standards. India has pointed out the substantial imports of Russian commodities by both the US and European nations, questioning why only India has been subjected to such significant penalties. Haley’s statement attempts to acknowledge this perspective while simultaneously urging India to cooperate with the US on the Russian oil issue.