Former Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe has voiced strong support for a comprehensive India-US trade agreement, insisting that any deal must deliver tangible benefits for workers and businesses on both sides. McAuliffe, a Democrat who led Virginia from 2014 to 2018, made the remarks in an exclusive interview in Washington on 16 July.

The Core Condition: Mutual Gain

“You gotta negotiate a good trade deal that’s good for both sides,” McAuliffe said. “You can never negotiate a deal where one side comes out a winner. Because ultimately, you will lose by that.” He argued that a durable agreement requires both parties to feel satisfied with the outcome. “Both sides have to feel good about an agreement, and it has to work for both sides,” he added. “And when that occurs, both sides lift up, all boats rise.”

McAuliffe’s Trade Record as Governor

McAuliffe described himself as a committed advocate of global commerce, drawing on his own executive experience to make the case. During his four-year tenure as governor, he conducted 35 overseas trade missions and recruited 1,100 companies to Virginia. Those investments, he said, generated employment not only in Northern Virginia but also in rural communities across the state’s southwest. He argued that countries which fail to engage actively in international trade risk leaving their citizens behind. “The world is one big economic trading opportunity,” he said. “And those countries that don’t jump in and take advantage of it will lose out, and their citizens will lose out.”

Praise for Indian Americans

McAuliffe reserved particular praise for the Indian American community, crediting it with strengthening the United States through entrepreneurship, technology, and philanthropy. “The jobs created, the entrepreneurship was just extraordinary,” he said. “But it’s not only the entrepreneurship and the number of jobs created, but the Indian American community gives back so much more.” He argued that Indian Americans had played a pivotal role in establishing the US as a global leader in technology and information technology. “We all owe a debt here in America to the immigrants who have come over, the Indian Americans who have started businesses here and done so many charitable things here in our country,” McAuliffe said.

Sharp Criticism of Trump’s Immigration Stance

The former governor also took direct aim at the Trump administration’s immigration rhetoric, calling it damaging and misguided. “Unfortunately, under the administration we have today, you have all this immigrant bashing going on today, and it’s really unfortunate,” he said. McAuliffe maintained that secure, legal immigration and openness to newcomers were not mutually exclusive. He said the US is a ‘better nation today’ because of immigrants — “specifically the Indian American community who immigrated to this great country,” adding: “And it makes us stronger.” While he acknowledged that borders should be secure and that immigrants must enter through legal channels, he argued that America’s diversity remained one of its defining strengths. “We are a melting pot and a big melting pot makes us stronger,” he said.

What This Signals for India-US Relations

McAuliffe’s comments arrive as India and the United States are engaged in ongoing trade negotiations, with both sides seeking to resolve longstanding tariff and market-access disputes. While McAuliffe holds no current office, his profile as a former governor, Democratic Party heavyweight, and trade-focused executive gives his endorsement a degree of political weight. His remarks reflect a broader bipartisan recognition that a balanced India-US trade framework could unlock significant economic opportunity for both nations. How the current administration responds to such calls from across the aisle remains to be seen.