India-US Trade Dialogue: Time for a Clear Stand

Back in 1991-1998, when China's economy was rapidly growing, the US was afraid of China’s dominance. During that time, India was seen as a reliable hope for the US, which led to special arrangements that offered extra benefits to India. However, the truth is that India has never been dependent on the US for its growth. If we look at history — and even now — the US continues to support our neighboring countries like Pakistan, which have often hurt India's economy in different ways. (Claiming repeatedly that the US was giving benefits to India is completely wrong, especially considering our trade volume was only $20 billion at that time. )

Today, the market impact has already happened, and now is the time for India’s growth. However, deals like LEMOA (Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement) seem to favor the US more than India. These deals subtly put pressure on India's independence in terms of trade, defense, and policy. The US aims to use weapons and military bases in India to safeguard its interests in case of a conflict with China. So the benefits US gave it was never free ...

What’s more concerning is how US President Trump is acting more like an influencer, often spreading misleading data (About Taxes which is totally different and average is not so high , also 100 billion trade difference which is actually less than 50 billion), creating fear among Indian and international investors, and indirectly pushing India effecting business and share market. This pressure seems unnecessary and unfair.

Another major concern is how the US is pushing India to purchase defense equipment with special conditions. A recent example is how the UK faced restrictions (data access blocks) during their deal with Ukraine. This clearly shows how such defense deals come with strings attached, ultimately limiting a nation’s sovereignty.

If this continues, it’s not just India that will face economic and strategic setbacks, but the US-India relationship will also suffer in the long run. This could hurt both people and businesses in both countries.

It’s time for the Indian government to speak up and protect the interests of our market, businesses, and investors. We also need to rebuild and strengthen our relationships with countries like Russia, which were put on hold due to CAATSA. Also EU and other countries are aggressively looking to do FTA with India.

Today i post on geopolitics, bcz this situation is directly affecting businesses, investments, and market growth. The nation is waiting for a clear dialogue and strong action from our government — and the sooner, the better.