Amid Tariff Row, Mary Millben Appeals for Friendship Between US and India

‘Negotiate as Friends’: Mary Millben Appeals for US-India Unity Amid Tariff Tensions.

As trade tensions between the United States and India continue to escalate, African-American singer and cultural ambassador Mary Millben has made a heartfelt appeal for calm, urging both nations to avoid hostile rhetoric and preserve their strategic alliance.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Millben called on US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to find common ground and end the “tariff tug of war” that she says is hurting small businesses in both countries.

“I’ll say again: America needs India, and India needs America. Any direction in policy that strains our strategic alliance is the wrong direction,” she wrote. “This exchange of ‘muscular verbiage’ on tariffs is troubling us all. Countless small businesses in the US and India are hurting. I speak to them daily.”

She concluded her message with a direct plea:

“Remember, we need each other. Negotiate as real friends. Find common ground. Your legacies and the well-being of our countries depend on this moment.”

Trump’s Tariff Threat Triggers Diplomatic Blowback
Millben’s remarks came shortly after former US President Donald Trump reignited a trade controversy by accusing India of being an unfair trade partner. In an interview with CNBC’s Squawk Box, Trump said India imposed the “highest tariffs” and warned he would “very substantially” increase tariffs on Indian goods within 24 hours — citing India’s continued imports of Russian oil.

“India has not been a good trading partner. They’re fueling the Russian war machine,” Trump said, adding that the longstanding issue in a potential US-India trade deal has been India’s high tariffs.

India Hits Back at ‘Double Standards’
India’s Ministry of External Affairs responded with a rare and strongly worded statement, calling the criticism from the US and EU “unjustified and unreasonable.” The MEA accused Western countries of applying double standards, pointing out that both the US and Europe continue trading with Russia, despite their public posturing against Moscow.

“Unlike our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion,” the ministry said, stressing that India’s energy imports from Russia are essential for its economic and national security.

Russia Backs India’s Right to Choose Partners
Weighing in on the controversy, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov defended India’s position, saying all sovereign nations have the right to choose their trade and economic partners. “We believe sovereign countries must independently determine trade modes that serve their national interest,” Peskov told reporters.

A Call for Diplomacy Over Division
Millben, who has performed at high-profile events involving both Indian and US leaders, has long been a proponent of strengthening bilateral ties. Her latest appeal reflects growing concerns among global observers that political posturing could jeopardize hard-won progress in US-India relations.

As leaders in Washington and New Delhi navigate economic and geopolitical pressure, Millben’s message stands as a reminder of the broader stakes: that trust, diplomacy, and mutual respect remain the foundation of any lasting partnership.