'India Brings Money To America, Not Pakistan': US Lawmaker Draws Red Line, Backs New Delhi

As ties between New Delhi and Washington remain strained over trade and tariffs, US Congressman Rich McCormick said that unlike India, Pakistan, which is a country of 300 million people, does not bring

investments to the United States. Speaking at an event hosted by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on January 12, he stated that India, on the other hand, does not only take investments but also brings them to the US. "Pakistan is a country with 300 million people. But you don't see it bringing investments into America. India not only takes investments, but it also brings investments into the United States," McCormick, who is a member of Trump's Republican Party, said. He further stated that India is growing as a nation and establishing itself as a "dominant country" in various regions and also highlighted that the country's "middle class" is beginning to exert influence on the world market. Moreover, India's supply of talent to the US was also tremendous, he said.

"Talent matters, and India is supplying a tremendous amount of talent. Not just in exporting talented people, but also in what they are filling in," McCormick added.He argued that the US could be in "big trouble" if it pushes a country like India away. "If America embraces Indians as friends, we will have peace and prosperity. If we alienate them, it is going to be big trouble for all of us," he stated.Also Read: US Ambassador To India Sergio Gor Arrives In New Delhi Amid 500% Tariff Threat - What's Next?

India-US trade ties

India and US trade ties have remained strained since last year. Tariffs, totaling 50%, were imposed due to India's purchase of Russian oil in 2025, which the US sees as supporting Russia's economy amid the Ukraine conflict. While both sides have remained in continuous talks over a bilateral deal, Trump recently approved a bill proposing a US law that seeks to levy a whopping 500% tariff on countries for buying Russian crude oil. Moreover, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggested in a recent podcast that a key bilateral trade deal fell through because Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not personally call President Donald Trump. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described Lutnick's remarks as "not accurate." He stressed that India and the United States had been working toward a trade agreement since February 13 last year.