Key Points

During an interview with ANI, Goldwyn, a former senior energy official in the US Department of Energy under Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, emphasised the need for a balanced approach by Washington that respects India's strategic autonomy while advancing bilateral trade negotiations.

He lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent response to Trump's affirmation of the India-US ties, noting that it was "very helpful" to de-escalate tensions.

"Most of the time, we just have normal bilateral multilateral trade negotiations. I think President Trump is seeing what's happening here and that it's not working. And I think that's why you saw his gesture to say that this is not personal to Prime Minister Modi, and then Prime Minister Modi's very helpful response, which is helping to de-escalate tensions," Goldwyn said.

"And this is really what needs to happen now: a serious conversation needs to happen about trade, but it needs to be in the context of the strategic relationship the United States has and can have with India... There's a lot to be gained here, and I'm hoping that President Trump is finding a way to back away from some of this escalation that he's undertaken. And India is right to continue to exercise its sovereignty while hopefully at the same time negotiating seriously on issues like trade, where serious negotiation needs to take place," he added.

This remark by Goldwyn comes against the backdrop of the US's imposition of a 50 per cent tariff on Indian imports, including an additional 25 per cent due to its purchase of Russian crude oil, which, according to Washington, fuels Moscow's efforts in its conflict with Ukraine.

Goldwyn criticised this approach by the US as counterproductive in the context of the Ukraine conflict.

He argued that such tactics are neither diplomatically effective nor sustainable, particularly when dealing with countries like India, which values sovereignty and strategic autonomy.

Goldwyn further suggested that the US should instead focus its pressure tools on Moscow rather than allies like India or even the European Union.

"The big question for those of us who care about the war in Ukraine and Russia's invasion - there's no question it was an illegal invasion. That pressure needs to be brought onto Russia. And if the US was serious and the Europeans were serious about banning everyone's imports of Russian crude oil or gas for that matter. It might be a serious weapon, but probably not enough to end the war. It's going to be one on the ground. It's going to be done by military means," he stated.

"But you look at all the tools that President Trump has available to him to put pressure on Russia, and he's using none of them. He hasn't imposed any new sanctions on Russia. He's imposing sanctions on India and on the European Union; he's imposing them on the allies. I think from India's position, looking at this and saying, this is really not about Russia. This is really just bullying for trade. And we can't allow ourselves to enter into negotiation basically under coercion and under duress. Not surprising for anyone who has studied India and not a very effective diplomatic tool anyway," he added.

Goldwyn further advocated elevating the discourse beyond transactional trade disputes to the broader strategic partnership between the two nations.

"For some countries, particularly India, it's probably important to elevate the conversation to the strategic level, which is not only the cabinet level but also the entire context of the relationship. So that it's really to push back against this transactional nature... I'd say that for those countries with a potential strategic relationship with the United States, such as elevating and broadening the dialogue, would be a constructive tool," he stated.

- ANI