WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — Senior U.S. lawmakers, diplomats, and policy experts warned Tuesday that the U.S.-India relationship stands at a critical moment, even as they reaffirmed strong bipartisan support for deeper cooperation in defense, technology, and trade.
Speakers at the annual Capitol Hill Summit 2026, organized by the US-India Friendship Council, said recent trade disputes, visa restrictions, and political uncertainty have created challenges for ties between the world’s two largest democracies. Still, leaders from both parties stressed that the long-term partnership remains strong.
The summit brought together members of Congress, former diplomats, and business leaders to discuss the future of U.S.-India relations as both countries expand cooperation in key strategic sectors.
Republican Sen. Steve Daines described India as one of America’s most important geopolitical partners. He said trust remains the foundation of the relationship.
“When trust was in the room, good things happened,” Daines said, quoting former Secretary of State George Shultz. “When trust was not in the room, good things did not happen.”Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna said the partnership should focus on shared democratic values instead of short-term political interests.
“We must, as the United States, build a multiracial democracy and work with India as a multiracial democracy,” Khanna said. Rep. Deborah Ross highlighted the role of education in strengthening bilateral ties. She noted that Indian students now represent the largest group of international students in the United States. These bright students should be able to continue their education and research here,” Ross said.
Former U.S. Ambassador to India Richard Verma warned that recent tensions have exposed weaknesses in the relationship.“The system is flashing a bit yellow,” Verma said, pointing to declining student visas, growing anti-Indian sentiment, and tariff disputes.
Despite those concerns, Verma said the U.S.-India relationship has expanded faster than nearly any other bilateral partnership over the past 25 years. He noted that trade between the two countries has grown from almost zero to more than $200 billion annually.
Defense cooperation has also increased significantly in recent years as both nations work more closely on Indo-Pacific security issues, military technology, and joint exercises. Later in the summit, Democratic Rep. Ami Bera said temporary disagreements should not distract from broader strategic goals.
“Nothing fundamentally has changed about our long-term strategic interest,” Bera said.
India’s Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, said the relationship continues to receive bipartisan support in Washington. We are natural partners, not because of geography or compulsions of geography, but because of our shared values,” Kwatra said.
He pointed to growing cooperation in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, defense manufacturing, trade, and critical minerals. Kwatra also praised the Indian American community for helping strengthen ties between the two countries. He said India’s economic transformation since 2014 has helped drive closer cooperation with the United States and created new business opportunities for American companies.
Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce Ray Vickery said the relationship once appeared to grow naturally after years of rapid progress. However, he said leaders now need to renew their focus on bilateral cooperation.“We’re gathered here today to try to refocus on the relationship between the two largest democracies in the world,” Vickery said. He added that closer cooperation between the United States and India could help address major global economic, strategic, and commercial challenges.
Swadesh Chatterjee, chairman of the US-India Friendship Council, reflected on the dramatic transformation in relations since the 1990s. At that time, the United States imposed sanctions on India after its nuclear tests. Chatterjee called the 2008 U.S.-India civil nuclear agreement a major turning point in the partnership.
“Our most prominent success of the Indian American community is the U.S.-India civil nuclear deal,” Chatterjee said. “It ended India’s 34 years of nuclear isolation.” The summit concluded with renewed calls for stronger cooperation in technology, trade, education, and defense as both nations seek to deepen their strategic partnership amid global uncertainty.
