Senator criticises Trump's India policy, says US efforts have been 'undone'

Washington, Sep 10 (IANS) US Senator and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jeanne Shaheen, blamed the Trump administration for its India policy, calling the recent escalation of tensions between the two countries “unfortunate.”

In her remarks, on Tuesday, at the Council on Foreign Relations, a think tank in Washington, Shaheen, a Democrat from New Hampshire, said years of efforts to build a relationship with India have been “undone” in the last few months.

“It's unfortunate, in my mind, that after years of trying to build this relationship with India and with Prime Minister Modi, that it's been undone in just months,” she added.

She also highlighted the US doublespeak on singling out India for buying Russian oil, terming the “contradictions” in US policy “glaring.”

“We're threatening India because of their oil imports from Russia, but we're looking the other way when it comes to China,” she pointed out.

Tensions rose between India and the United States after the Trump administration imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on August 27, bringing the total levies to 50 per cent.

US President Donald Trump appeared to dial back the rhetoric last week at a White House press conference when he said, “I’ll always be friends with Prime Minister Modi” and called him a "great Prime Minister."

“India and the United States have a special relationship. There’s nothing to worry about,” Trump added.

Hours after his comment, PM Modi reciprocated on Saturday by saying that he appreciates and fully reciprocates President Trump's sentiments.

Shaheen believed that China’s leverage in critical minerals played an important role in shielding it from additional tariffs for buying Russian oil.

“I think the reason the President didn't do that is because when he's talked about imposing tariffs on China earlier. China said, okay, you want to do that, we're going to deny you critical minerals. We're going to deny all these other goods that we provide to the United States that you depend on us,” she explained.

She also criticised the Trump administration’s China strategy, arguing that it has “undercut our ability to compete with China in so many ways.”

“We're withdrawing from a number of international bodies. Well, who's filling that void? It's China. When we close programs, when we withdraw from international bodies and refuse to participate. We are not being a reliable partner,” she added.

--IANS

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