India needs to rethink its approach to Washington, moving beyond reliance on high profile presidential engagement and instead cultivating deep, sustained relationships within the real power centers of the United States leveraging its strengths in technology, defense, and industry to build a resilient, bipartisan partnership that can withstand political upheavals like the Trump administration’s tariff driven turbulence.
The recent turbulence in US-India relations under President Donald Trump is a wake-up call for New Delhi. For decades, India has nurtured a strategic partnership with Washington, carefully cultivated since the end of the Cold War, spanning trade, defense, technology, and global diplomacy. Yet the volatility triggered by Trump’s tariff-centric approach exposes a stark reality: over-reliance on government-to-government engagement or even diaspora influence is no longer sufficient to safeguard a durable relationship with the United States. While nations such as Israel, China, and yes, even Pakistan, have successfully navigated the storms of Washington politics, India finds itself caught in the ebb and flow of executive whims.
India must recalibrate its strategy to engage with the “real” power brokers in Washington: the revolving network of secretaries, undersecretaries, policy practitioners, and industry leaders who define American foreign and domestic policy. Unlike Westminster-style democracies, where elected officials and permanent bureaucrats hold predictable sway, US policy is shaped by a fluid ecosystem of technocrats, corporate executives, and policy advisers who move in and out of government through the famous “revolving door.” Their short stints in office belie the long-term influence they wield. Establishing sustained, meaningful engagement with this cadre is the only way to insulate India from sudden policy shocks be it tariffs, sanctions, or shifting geopolitical priorities.
Industry associations, think tanks, and corporate liaisons are the instruments through which influence is built in the United States. By creating structured engagement programs where Indian digital technology firms, defense manufacturers, and innovation-driven enterprises interact with key US decision-makers New Delhi can cultivate political capital that outlasts any administration. Israel and China exemplify this approach. Israel, through AIPAC and its extensive network across finance, insurance, and real estate, ensures that its interests are defended irrespective of which party controls Congress or the White House. China leverages Wall Street, Hollywood, and the tech ecosystem to entrench its influence, offering reciprocal incentives in Beijing that cement loyalty in Washington. Even Pakistan, through strategic lobbying, nuclear fear narratives, and targeted engagement with the US military-industrial complex, demonstrates the power of playing the long game.
India, too, has untapped levers of influence. Its strengths in digital technology, defense manufacturing, and innovation provide a platform for meaningful integration into US policy circles. American Big Tech executives, from Tim Cook at Apple to other leaders of Silicon Valley, are natural allies in pushing for India’s interests, particularly when diplomatic channels falter. Similarly, the US military-industrial complex, when engaged strategically, could complement India’s private defense manufacturing and procurement initiatives, ensuring shared stakes in regional security.
The lesson is clear: India must “Trump-proof” its relationship with the United States. Relying solely on presidents, diaspora networks, or periodic government exchanges will not survive the churn of US domestic politics. Instead, New Delhi must embed itself in the deeper institutional mechanisms of American power, cultivating influence through bipartisan lobbying, corporate partnerships, and policy networks. Only by doing so can India secure a resilient, sustainable relationship that transcends the vagaries of electoral cycles and executive impulses.
India’s path forward is not about currying favor with a single administration; it is about creating enduring alliances across the American policymaking spectrum. The country’s digital and defense prowess, coupled with systematic, strategic engagement with Washington’s movers and shakers, can ensure that India remains a “must-consult” partner in the 21st century regardless of who occupies the Oval Office.