India Chief Economic Adviser Calls US Relations Uneasy Equilibrium

India's Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran characterized the bilateral relationship between India and the United States as an "uneasy equilibrium" during a State Bank of India conclave in Mumbai on Thursday. He noted that tariff-related disputes from the previous year remain unsettled despite an interim trade deal reached earlier this year.

Nageswaran highlighted new economic pressures stemming from a U.S. law that grants President Donald Trump the authority to impose levies of up to 100% on nations that purchase Russian oil and gas. He framed these threats as part of a broader global trend pushing nations to align with rival geopolitical blocs.

Asserting that India's size and geography prevent it from belonging to any single bloc, Nageswaran stated that the country will maintain its independence even if it leads to supply disruptions or higher energy costs.