The Democrat leader noted that he had seen "desire on both sides" to finalise a trade deal.
- US Democrat Ami Bera urges India to 'flex its diplomatic muscles' and mediate peace in the Russia-Ukraine war.
- He said President Trump 'sincerely' wants peace in Ukraine.
- India-US ministerial talks set to begin in Washington with key officials attending
With ministerial-level talks between India and the United States set to begin in Washington, US Democrat lawmaker Ami Bera advised New Delhi to "flex its diplomatic muscle" and play Russia-Ukraine peace negotiator to seal the trade deal with Washington.
Speaking to NDTV in New Delhi, he noted that 50 per cent tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on Indian imports are benefiting no one, and are taking the India-US relationship in the wrong direction.
"There's a major export market of Indian products in the United States, and it's (tariffs) going to impact Indian workers. But it's not going to help the US consumer either, as we are seeing inflation and prices go up in the United States. Nobody benefits from a trade war," he said.
He mentioned that a ministerial-level delegation, including Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, will be in New York this week for the next level of India-US trade talks.
"I hope they're meeting with (US Secretary of the Treasury Scott) Bessent and other US trade representatives, and hopefully they can get to a better place where both sides see the potential of victory," Bera said.
The Democrat leader noted that he had seen "desire on both sides" to finalise a trade deal and stressed that Washington sees New Delhi as "a real opportunity as we look at moving supply chain out of China."
"This is an opportunity for India to flex its diplomatic muscles. President Trump sincerely does want to see an end to the conflict in Ukraine. It's been elusive," Bera said.
"Indians have a different line of communication (with Moscow). They have a longer-term relationship with Russia. They probably will continue to have that relationship with Russia post-conflict. I think this is the time for Indian diplomats to step up, go to President Trump and say, 'give us a chance to help find a resolution here'."
India-US Ties
Over the past few months, ties between New Delhi and Washington have been strained, mainly due to the Trump administration's decision to impose 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, including 25 per cent penalties over India's purchase of Russian oil.
The US President has also repeatedly said that he mediated the India-Pakistan ceasefire, a claim that India denies. The Trump administration has also targeted Indian migrants in the US under its latest crackdown on immigration. The latest round of sanctions planned for those engaged in Iran's Chabahar port project has also come as a blow to India, which has made a significant investment in the strategically located port.
