WASHINGTON: While everyone is focused on the new President, there’s also a big shift happening in the US Congress that could affect India. The decisions made here will play a crucial role in US-India relations.
Starting with the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, continues as Speaker. Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat from New York, remains the minority leader. The real foreign policy discussions will happen in the committees, especially in the House Foreign Affairs Committee, led by Brian Mast, a veteran who lost both legs in Afghanistan. Gregory Meeks, a senior Democrat from New York, stays as the ranking member and has an interest in nurturing ties with India through the Mahatma Gandhi-Martin Luther King Jr. legacy.
Mast has a clear agenda for his role. He wants to evaluate every dollar spent and every diplomat’s mission based on how it serves American interests. He asks three key questions whenever a foreign delegation visits: What does America need from this country? What does that country want from the US? And does what the US provides actually benefit its needs? Mast aims to avoid situations where America might feel misled or taken advantage of.
Another important change is the division of the Indo-Pacific subcommittee into two: one for East Asia/Pacific and another for South and Central Asia. The South and Central Asia subcommittee, which will focus on India, will be chaired by Bill Huizenga, a Republican from Michigan. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, a Democrat from California, will be the ranking member. This split aims to align more closely with how the State Department is organized.
India will also need to connect with the House Armed Services Committee, where Mike Rogers, a Republican from Alabama, is chair, and Adam Smith, a Democrat from Washington, is the ranking member. On the Senate side, India should foster ties with John Thune, the new majority leader, and keep working with Chuck Schumer, the minority leader.
A significant development in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is Jim Risch, a Republican from Idaho, taking over as chair. Risch supports stronger ties with India but is cautious about India’s relationships with Russia and issues related to religious rights within India. Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat from New Hampshire, serves as the ranking member and has voiced concerns about Indian democracy and recent events involving an alleged assassination plot in New York.
In the Senate Armed Services Committee, India will need to build stronger connections with Roger Wicker, a Senator from Mississippi, while maintaining relations with Jack Reed, the ranking member.
Altogether, Indian diplomats in Washington have a busy agenda ahead. Their mission is to strengthen existing relationships and create new opportunities on Capitol Hill, aligning India’s interests with a Congress that prioritizes America First policies.
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