The United States will not extend to India the kind of sweeping economic concessions it once granted China, said Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau on Thursday, claiming that those incentives allowed China to emerge as a rival.
Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue, India’s flagship conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics, Landau made it clear that while the US sees vast potential in India, it is approaching trade negotiations with greater caution than it did two decades ago with China. “While the US wants to work with India to unlock its ‘limitless potential,’ India should understand that ‘we are not going to make the same mistakes with India that we made with China 20 years ago,’” Landau said.
His remarks come as the two sides work to finalise a trade agreement under negotiation since US President Donald Trump took office. Washington last month reduced tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from 50 per cent after several rounds of talks.
Like several other countries, New Delhi is navigating a global environment in which the US has increasingly deployed tariffs as leverage in broader geopolitical negotiations.
At the same time, India is seeking to diversify its trade partnerships to reduce overdependence on any single market. It recently signed a trade deal with the European Union and has pursued agreements with other nations as part of efforts to expand market access and strengthen supply-chain resilience.
Emphasising the scope for cooperation, Landau said, “It is in our interest and we think it is also in India’s interest to be partners. We have many many win-win situations with India.”
Landau also offered US support in addressing India’s short- and long-term energy needs, particularly as supply disruptions linked to the Middle East crisis threaten fuel flows. He said Washington is prepared to work with New Delhi to mitigate risks arising from the evolving regional situation.
India has so far avoided taking sides in the widening conflict even as it balances trade negotiations with strategic autonomy.
