India’s Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, held a series of high-level meetings with American lawmakers this week, focusing on deepening cooperation in trade, energy, and defense amid recent tariff tensions.

Kwatra met Republican Senator Bill Hagerty, where discussions centered on creating a fair, balanced, and mutually beneficial trade framework. They also exchanged views on India’s energy security, with a special focus on expanding hydrocarbon trade between New Delhi and Washington.

In a separate engagement, Kwatra met Democratic Congressman Greg Landsman to review developments in bilateral trade and energy security. Both sides emphasized the growing oil and gas trade and the need to safeguard long-term strategic cooperation.

The Ambassador also had a substantive conversation with Representative Adam Smith, Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee Democrats. The dialogue highlighted India’s perspectives on advancing defense partnerships while strengthening trade and energy ties.

Additionally, Kwatra met Representative Josh Gottheimer, Ranking Member of the National Security Agency and Cyber Subcommittee, to discuss energy cooperation and the latest developments in two-way trade.

These meetings come at a critical moment as President Donald Trump recently announced an additional 25% tariff hike on Indian imports, citing India’s continued purchase of Russian crude oil. The move, which follows a similar tariff imposed in July, has been strongly criticized by New Delhi. The Ministry of External Affairs called the decision “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable,” underscoring that India’s energy security and strategic autonomy must be respected.

Kwatra’s series of engagements reflects India’s proactive diplomacy to ensure that Indo-US ties continue to grow despite trade frictions, while reinforcing cooperation in energy and defense.