Indian officials have struggled to engage with US President Donald Trump’s administration because key foreign policy roles in Washington remain unfilled, people familiar with the matter said, making it difficult for New Delhi to effectively push for a favorable trade deal.
Several positions in the Department of State and the Department of Defense are vacant, which has made it harder for India to lobby its view, the people said, asking not to be identified to discuss a sensitive matter.
It’s become urgent for New Delhi to make its case to Washington after being unexpectedly slapped with a 25% tariff — one of the highest in the region — and facing further threats over its ties with Russia. Trump said Monday he’ll increase the rate “substantially” because of New Delhi’s refusal to halt buying of Russian oil. The US says India, alongside China, is helping President Vladimir Putin fund his war against Ukraine with the oil purchases.
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New Delhi defended its position Monday, saying criticism from the US and European Union about the Asian nation’s trade with Russia was “unjustified and unreasonable.” It highlighted that the EU and US continue to buy energy and other materials from Russia when “such trade is not even a national compulsion.”
The steep tariff adds to already strained ties, with Trump repeatedly claiming he used trade as leverage to broker peace between India and rival Pakistan in May — an assertion New Delhi has strongly denied.
One of the most critical vacancies is the Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs — a role that oversees US foreign policy and relations in the region. Although Indian-American academic Paul Kapur was nominated for the role by Trump, his appointment has yet to be confirmed.
The post of US Ambassador to India — a key role in managing bilateral tensions — has remained vacant since January 2025, with career diplomats currently running the New Delhi embassy. Eric Garcetti, former President Joe Biden’s representative to India, was confirmed only after a two-year delay, but strong personal ties between key officials on both sides helped bridge the gap at the time, the people said.
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India’s Ministry of External Affairs didn’t comment when contacted for further information. The US Embassy in New Delhi didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking further information.
The sharp downsizing of the US National Security Council — from over 300 officials under Biden to around 50 under Trump’s second term — has further compounded the challenges, the people added.
The White House pushed out scores of NSC staffers in May as officials sought to transform the council into a smaller organization focused on implementing Trump’s policies instead of helping to shape them.
