US Congressman Ro Khanna on 19 May 2026 called on India to embrace the full weight of global leadership, arguing that a nation seeking world-power status cannot selectively opt out of international responsibilities. Speaking at the Capitol Hill Summit 2026 organised by the US-India Friendship Council in Washington, Khanna framed the challenge in direct terms: economic and strategic ascent must come with diplomatic accountability.

The Core Challenge Khanna Laid Out

“India has to decide who it wants to be as it enters this place of world leadership,” Khanna said during a panel discussion on defence, technology and energy cooperation. “You can’t say you want to be a world leader, but then shrink away from responsibility.”

Khanna pointed to India’s status as the world’s fastest-growing major economy as precisely the reason New Delhi faces heightened expectations on the global stage. He suggested that the 21st-century geopolitical order demands clearer positions from India on international crises — a departure from the non-aligned posture that historically defined Indian foreign policy.

India’s Role in the Ukraine Conflict

The congressman specifically highlighted the Russia-Ukraine war as an arena where India’s unique diplomatic positioning could be constructive. India’s longstanding ties with Moscow, he argued, give New Delhi a channel that few other democracies possess.

“I’ve been very vocal in India as well as here that India can play a very constructive role in helping bring the war in Ukraine to an end,” Khanna said. “It has lines of communications with Russia.”

This comes amid sustained international pressure on India to take a firmer stance on the conflict, a call New Delhi has largely deflected by emphasising dialogue and abstaining from key UN votes on the war.

US-India Strategic Ties: Durable Despite Trade Friction

Despite recent turbulence over tariffs and trade policy under President Donald Trump’s administration, Khanna maintained that the foundational logic of the bilateral relationship remained intact. “Nothing fundamentally has changed about our long-term strategic interest,” he said.

He noted that both Democrats and Republicans in Congress continue to back deeper engagement with India, particularly on defence, technology, and Indo-Pacific security cooperation. Notably, Khanna also criticised what he described as anti-Indian voices within sections of the Trump administration, naming Peter Navarro as an example. “I do think there’s folks like Peter Navarro and others inside the administration that are very anti-Indian,” he said.

A Values-Based Partnership, Not Mere Convenience

Earlier in the summit, Khanna delivered a broader philosophical case for the US-India relationship, warning against alliances rooted purely in nationalism or transactional convenience. “It is what are the values that will undergird the US-India relationship,” he said. “Are we going to form an alliance of convenience based on nationalism?”

He called on both nations — as multiracial democracies — to champion pluralism, democratic governance, and multilateral cooperation. “We must, as the United States, build a multiracial democracy and work with India as a multiracial democracy,” he said.

Khanna’s Personal Reflection and Background

The congressman also drew on his own journey as an Indian American of Hindu faith, recalling early scepticism about his electability. He credited US-India Friendship Council chairman Swadesh Chatterjee as one of the few early voices of encouragement. Khanna represents California’s 17th Congressional District — the heart of Silicon Valley — and has become one of the most prominent Indian American lawmakers on technology, democracy and foreign policy.

As India’s global profile continues to rise, the pressure from allied legislatures for New Delhi to move beyond strategic ambiguity is likely to intensify in the months ahead.