African American singer and India-US relations advocate Mary Millben has said that bilateral ties between the United States and India have deteriorated under President Donald Trump's second term, attributing the strain to poor advice within the current administration and calling for a genuine effort to rebuild trust with New Delhi.

Rubio's India Visit: Goodwill Without Substance

Millben said that while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's recent visit to India carried personal significance for him, it fell short of addressing the deeper fractures in the bilateral relationship. 'To be very frank, as I always am, no, I don't think the trip did anything to repair the relationship between the United States and India,' she said. 'The Trump administration has not made any genuine steps to repair the relationship in that regard.'

She nonetheless welcomed the visit on a personal level, noting that it appeared to be Rubio's first time in the country. Rubio's itinerary reportedly extended beyond New Delhi to include stops in Kolkata, Jaipur, and Agra — a broader exposure to Indian culture that Millben said was valuable. She also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian leadership for their hospitality, calling them 'very gracious' and 'very kind.'

The 'Wrong People' Problem

Millben drew a pointed contrast between Trump's first and second terms, arguing that advisors during the earlier administration had a deeper appreciation for India and the Indian American community. 'The President also had the right people around him at that time who were advising him on what was necessary to keep a healthy relationship with India,' she said, referencing the 'Howdy Modi' rally held in Texas during Trump's first term.

'This administration 2.0, just to be very honest, has not had the right people,' she added. 'He had the wrong people on the tariff policy as it relates to India.' This criticism zeroes in on a structural problem: personnel shaping policy, not just the policy itself.

Tone Toward Indian Americans

Beyond policy, Millben expressed sharp disappointment at the rhetoric directed at immigrants and the Indian American community under the current administration. 'I've been very, very disappointed, very disturbed by the way this administration has spoken so negatively about the Indian American community,' she said. She called for a more humane tone from Washington, arguing that 'there's a way that you talk about policy with a sense of humanity that is absolutely who we are as Americans.'

A Long Road to Recovery

Asked when ties could realistically improve, Millben was candid: 'I think it's going to take the next election cycle, if I were to be honest.' She noted that Prime Minister Modi and world leaders were closely watching US political developments ahead of the November elections. She also praised US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, saying he was 'doing a great job with the capacity that he's been given.'

Calling India 'our most important democratic partner,' Millben argued that rebuilding trust with New Delhi 'should always be at the forefront' for American leaders. India and the United States have deepened strategic cooperation over two decades across defence, technology, trade, and the Indo-Pacific region, and both are members of the Quad alongside Japan and Australia. Whether that institutional architecture can withstand the current political chill remains an open question.