Donald Trump and the India connect

With tariff threat looming, India braces for policy changes as more Indians are picked for key roles

US President Donald Trump’s has threatened to impose tariffs on goods from several countries including India. He has proposed a 10 per cent tariff on Chinese goods, and 25 per cent on goods from Mexico and Canada, with implementation potentially starting as early as February 1. Additionally, tariffs on goods from the Eurozone and India were also mentioned.

Impact on India

News reports suggest India’s commerce and industry ministry has begun talks to prepare for changes in US trade policy that could involve tariffs on Indian goods exports to the country. According to official 2022-23 data, the US accounts for 18 per cent of exports from India.

News reports also suggest that in response to Trump’s threats, India may cut tariffs on a few high-end goods—including a special kind of steel, motorcycles, and electronic items—imported from the US. India currently imports around 20 items from the US which face duties in excess of 100 per cent.

India connect

President Trump has appointed several people of Indian origin to key roles in his administration.

Dhillon, born in Chandigarh, Punjab, moved to the US at age two. She was raised in a Sikh household in North Carolina and graduated from Dartmouth College and the University of Virginia School of Law. She is an important Republican figure, who served as vice chairwoman of the California Republican Party and became the first Indian-American to appear at the GOP Convention in 2016.

. Usha Vance (Second lady): Usha Chilukuri Vance is the wife of Vice President-elect JD Vance. She brings in abundance a stack of credentials and a deep connection to Indian values and and culture in the American political system. Born to Indian immigrant parents from Andhra Pradesh, she was raised in an upper-middle-class suburb of San Diego and has an impressive academic background.

. Dr Jay Bhattacharya (Director, National Institutes of Health: Raised in a Hindu household, Kolkata-born Jayanta “Jay” Bhattacharya is a Professor of Health Policy at Stanford University and serves as a research associate at the US National Bureau of Economic Research.

. Kashyap Patel (Director, FBI): Patel was born in 1981 in New York after his family, originally from Gujarat, moved from Uganda to the US in the 1970s. The University of Richmond graduate became a trusted member of Trump’s inner circle through his work on intelligence reform and national security during Trump’s first term.

. Tulsi Gabbard (Director National Intelligence): First Hindu Congresswoman and former Democrat, the military veteran with three deployments is a four-term Congresswoman and 2020 presidential candidate. Gabbard is also a New York Times bestselling author.

. Ricky Gill (Senior director, NSC):  An attorney, Gill had served as the NSC director for Europe and Russian affairs in the previous Trump administration. Later, he was principal and general counsel at Gill Capital Group and policy adviser at TC Energy.

. Saurabh Sharma (Presidential personnel office): Born in Bengaluru, Sharma is co-founder and President of American Moment, a conservative group in Washington DC. The University of Texas biochemistry graduate was the youngest ever state chairman of Young Conservatives of Texas.

. Kush Desai (Deputy press secretary, White House): Former journalist and Dartmouth College graduate, Desai worked as director of communications for Pennsylvania and deputy director of communications for the battleground states during Trump’s presidential campaign last year.

Ramaswamy and DOGE

Addressing rumours that he was pushed out of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy has said “it was actually a mutual decision”. The biotech entrepreneur, whose parents moved from Kerala to the US in the 1970s, reaffirmed his plans to run for Ohio governor in November 2026.Agencies

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No. of Indian-Americans with Biden admin

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