‘Because PM Modi Didn’t Nominate Trump For Nobel’: US Congressman Ro Khanna Slams India Tariffs

Last Updated:September 03, 2025, 10:07 IST

Ro Khanna slammed Donald Trump for imposing 50% tariffs on Indian imports, calling them harsher than those on China and a threat to three decades of bipartisan US-India ties.

US President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, right (Photo: AP)

US Congressman Ro Khanna has slammed the Donald Trump administration for imposing sweeping tariffs against India. In a series of X posts, Khanna called the 50 per cent tariffs on Indian imports “harsher than those on China”.

The Indian-origin Democrat leader also accused Trump of jeopardising 30 years of bipartisan efforts to strengthen the US-India strategic partnership.

He also suggested that the move is driven by Trump’s frustration that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize.

“Trump is destroying 30 years of bipartisan work to build the US-India strategic partnership because Modi refuses to nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize. He imposed higher tariffs of 50% on India than China,” Khanna wrote in an X post.

“Which Indian Americans who voted for Trump are speaking out?” he asked.

“As the co-chair of the US-India caucus, I want to sound the five-alarm fire on what Donald Trump is doing to destroy the US-India partnership,” Khanna said in a video posted on his X handle.

“He is undermining 30 years of bipartisan work to strengthen the US-India alliance. He has imposed a 50 per cent tariff on India, higher than any other country, other than Brazil,” the Democrat said in the video.

“It’s a higher tariff than the tariff on China, it is hurting India’s exports of leather and textiles into the United States, and it is hurting American manufacturers and our exports into India,” he said.

“It is also driving India towards China and towards Russia. Now, why is this happening? For very simple reasons, Prime Minister Narendra Modi refused to nominate Donald Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize,” he said.

“Well, Pakistan did, and India has said that the border dispute with Pakistan is an internal matter, refusing to give Donald Trump credit,” Khanna said.

“We can’t allow the ego of Donald Trump to destroy a strategic relationship with India, that is key to ensuring that America leads, and not China,” he said.

“To all those Indian-Americans who voted for Donald Trump, I’m asking you, where are you today while he destroys this relationship?” Khanna asked in the video. 

Earlier, former US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan alleged that Trump has “thrown away” ties with India over Pakistan’s willingness to do business with Trump’s family.

In an interview with MeidasTouch Network, Sullivan said, “The US has worked to build a relationship with India, a country that we should be aligned with on technology, talent, economics, and so many issues, and align with dealing with strategic threats from China.”

“Now, I think because of Pakistan’s willingness to do business with the Trump family, Trump has thrown away India’s relationship on the side. Germany or Japan will look at that (India) and say that could be us tomorrow. America’s friends will think that they can’t rely on us in any way,” he had opined.

The Trump administration has imposed 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs on India and an additional 25 per cent levies for Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil, bringing the total duties imposed on India to 50 per cent, among the highest in the world.

ALSO READ | ‘One-Sided Relationship’: Donald Trump Claims India Charged US ‘Tremendous’ Tariffs

About the Author

Vani Mehrotra

Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.

Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.

Read More

Go to Source