Shashi Tharoor Calls Out Indian-Americans’ Silence on Trump Attacks

In a candid exchange that exposed cracks in the India-US bonhomie, Shashi Tharoor, Chairman of the Standing Committee on External Affairs, voiced astonishment at the Indian-American community's "surprising silence" over a slew of adversarial US policies targeting India. The eyebrow-raising remarks came during a closed-door meeting with a high-profile delegation of five Democratic US Congress members, led by Indian-origin lawmaker Ami Bera, who are openly critical of President Donald Trump's hardline stance.

The session, an impromptu addition to the committee's agenda, turned into a forum for airing grievances against Trump's recent moves: a jaw-dropping $100,000 H-1B visa fee hike that's left Indian tech and medical professionals reeling, a punitive 50% tariff on Indian goods that's hammered bilateral trade, and the US sanctions waiver drama surrounding India's Chabahar Port project in Iran. Committee members from both ruling BJP and opposition benches grilled the visitors, questioning why the powerful Indian diaspora—over 4 million strong and a key voting bloc in swing states—hasn't mobilized against these blows to the strategic partnership.

"Why has the Indian-American community been so silent about all this?" Tharoor probed, echoing sentiments from his panel. One female Congresswoman revealed a stunning stat: "Not one phone call has come to her office from any Indian-American voter asking her to support a change of policy." Bera and his colleagues, all Democrats in the opposition, nodded in agreement, admitting the lack of pushback from the community was baffling given their deep ties to India.

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Tharoor didn't mince words, issuing a clarion call: "We all need to reach out to the Indian-American population, saying if you care about your relationship with the motherland, then you also have to fight for and speak for it, and make more of an effort to press your political representatives to stand up for India." He praised the US delegates as "friends of India" and "well disposed," highlighting their praise for the "strength and resilience" of India's economy and the invaluable contributions of its diaspora, even as Trump's policies threaten to unravel hard-won gains.

The lawmakers didn't hold back on Trump either, with several openly criticizing his decisions as shortsighted and detrimental to mutual interests. The Chabahar waiver, crucial for India's access to Afghanistan and Central Asia, was flagged as a flashpoint, with the US delegation assuring efforts to extend relief despite pressures from hawks in Washington.

At its core, Tharoor emphasized, the meeting reaffirmed a bedrock truth: "A lot of US opinion, including in the US Congress, is strongly committed to the Indian relationship and the strategic partnership between the two countries." India remains "valued," and the delegates vowed determination to fortify ties "despite the recent setbacks."

As the delegation's India visit continues, Tharoor's wake-up call to the diaspora could spark a grassroots surge, reminding Indian-Americans that their voices aren't just welcome—they're essential in safeguarding the world's largest democracy's global standing.

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