Washington, Sep 17: Former US National Security Advisor (NSA) Susan Rice has warned that India, a “proud and strong nation,” could move in a different direction due to the Trump administration’s policies—something she described as a “huge loss” for the United States.
Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations earlier this week, Rice said President Donald Trump’s attempt to claim credit for easing tensions between India and Pakistan backfired, souring ties with New Delhi. “It seems to be more about personal pique… India didn’t rush to embrace that narrative. As a consequence, India has said, we’re going to go in a different direction. That’s a huge loss,” she noted.
Her comments came even as India-US relations showed signs of improvement. On Tuesday, President Trump called Prime Minister Narendra Modi to wish him on his 75th birthday. Modi, in a post on X, thanked Trump, calling him a “friend” and reaffirmed commitment to strengthening the Comprehensive and Global Partnership. He also voiced support for Trump’s efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict.
Trump, in turn, praised Modi on Truth Social, calling the phone conversation “wonderful” and lauding him for “doing a tremendous job.”
The call coincided with trade talks in New Delhi between US Assistant Trade Representative Brendan Lynch and India’s chief negotiator Rajesh Agrawal, which both sides described as “positive.”
Despite these developments, Rice remained critical of Trump’s broader approach, arguing it has “pushed” India closer to China and Russia within weeks. She cited India’s participation at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation as an example of this shift.
Echoing that view, US Congresswoman Deborah Ross recently said Modi’s outreach to China was a “smart move” to signal to Washington that “he has options.”
