Washington, January 12: Amid ongoing frictions in trade negotiations, tariff disputes, and divergent views on global issues, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ram Madhav asserted that the current challenges in India-US relations are temporary. Speaking at an event organized by the Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP), Madhav, who chairs the India Foundation and formerly served as BJP’s national general secretary, emphasized India’s unwavering commitment to strengthening ties with the United States.
When Donald Trump assumed office for his second term, expectations in India ran high for smoother bilateral engagement. However, subsequent developments have been unpredictable, Madhav noted. This unpredictability isn’t unique to India; many nations have faced similar experiences with Trump’s distinctive approach to diplomacy and policy-making.
On trade and tariffs, Madhav highlighted India’s readiness for dialogue. ‘Our commerce ministry and the US Department of Commerce have been in talks for eight to nine months,’ he said, adding that a deal was nearly within reach. Yet, he cautioned that intertwining trade matters with international politics complicates resolutions.
Madhav firmly reiterated that India-Pakistan issues remain strictly bilateral, with no room for third-party involvement. ‘We’ve made this clear to the US and requested keeping trade separate from geopolitics,’ he stated. Major policy decisions, he stressed, cannot be hashed out informally—serious negotiations are essential for trade pacts.
Despite hurdles, Madhav affirmed no intent to damage relations. ‘These ties transcend individuals; they’re anchored in shared long-term interests,’ he said, invoking former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s vision of India and the US as natural allies. The Indian diaspora in America, he praised, plays a pivotal role in fortifying this partnership.
Viewing current tensions as personality-driven rather than policy-based, Madhav urged seeing them as transient. India remains fully dedicated to revitalizing and advancing its strategic alliance with the US for mutual prosperity.