“Don’t Expect US to Share Any Technology”: Attorney Navroop Singh on India’s Trade-Off for Strategic Autonomy
September 23, 2025 | Business Today Desk
In a candid assessment amid rising trade tensions between India and the United States, attorney and author Navroop Singh has warned that India should not expect Washington to share any advanced technology going forward. Emphasizing the shifting dynamics of international relations, Singh described the Indo-Pacific strategy and the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) as being in a state of “quandary” and “good as dead.”
India No Longer a U.S. Priority: Hardening Stance Evident
Singh’s insights come as the US escalates pressure on India through a series of punitive measures. Recently, Washington imposed steep tariffs of up to 50%, including a 25% penalty tariff on Indian goods, citing concerns linked to India’s purchases of Russian oil. The US has accused India of profiteering amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Further, the US revoked a key waiver that had exempted India from sanctions on Iran’s Chabahar port, a critical trade and strategic link for New Delhi. Compounding matters, the US government raised the H-1B visa application fee dramatically—up to $100,000 in some categories—targeting one of India’s largest channels for exporting IT talent. The sharp hike is perceived by experts as a tactic to exert additional pressure on India in the technology and trade arena.
Strategic Autonomy Comes With Trade-Offs
“India is no more in the priority list of the USA. The Indo-Pacific pivot and Quad are in quandary and good as dead,” Singh remarked in a recent tweet. He noted that India must come to terms with the transactional nature of its current relationship with the US. “Don’t expect Americans to share any technology going ahead. It’s a transactional relationship now,” he added.
Singh also pointed to India’s ongoing adherence to domestic data localization policies mandated by the Reserve Bank of India, suggesting that India’s push for technological self-reliance—such as adopting homegrown routers made by companies like Tejas Network—remains intact. These indigenous efforts are supported under India’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes to boost domestic manufacturing of critical technology infrastructure.
Embracing Realities of Geopolitical Competition
Acknowledging the realities of global resource competition, Singh highlighted India’s current strategic challenges. He stated that India must recognize Chinese dominance in rare earth elements, auto magnets, and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), and simultaneously understand American supremacy in cutting-edge technology. “We have to be elastic toward Silicon Valley,” he advised.
According to Singh, pursuing strategic autonomy inevitably involves trade-offs. He underscored that India cannot demand substantial benefits or concessions while maintaining independent foreign policies. “That’s perfectly fine, it’s a trade-off,” Singh said, referring to India’s reliance on Russian oil and arms, continued trade with China, and protection of key domestic sectors like agriculture and dairy as modest compromises in the broader pursuit of sovereign strategic autonomy.
Dialogue Continues Amid Tensions
Despite the evident strains, diplomatic engagement between the two nations persists. India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, along with chief trade negotiator Rajesh Agrawal and their delegation, arrived in the US to advance trade talks aimed at resolving outstanding issues. Minister Goyal is scheduled to meet with United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in New York City to further discussions on enhancing bilateral trade relations.
As both countries look to recalibrate their approaches, Singh’s perspective underscores the evolving geopolitical realities that India must navigate in balancing economic interests with its aspiration for strategic independence.
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