Ro Khanna

Indian-origin Congressman Ro Khanna on Tuesday sharply criticised US President Donald Trump over Washington’s handling of the Iran conflict, accusing the administration of dragging the United States into a unilateral war without consulting key allies such as India.

Speaking at the USISPF Leadership Summit 2026 in Washington, DC, Khanna said the Trump administration’s decision to launch military action against Iran had damaged America’s global credibility and strained ties with strategic partners.

Khanna attacks Trump’s unilateral approach

Khanna said Washington chose to enter the conflict without meaningful consultation with major allies, despite the global consequences of such a decision.

“The idea that we engaged in a unilateral war without our allies, without even consulting Europe or Canada or India, and made a mess of the world has hurt our credibility,” Khanna said.

He argued that bypassing allies weakened trust in US leadership and raised serious concerns about Washington’s approach to foreign policy.

Says Iran war hurt India deeply

Khanna also linked the conflict directly to worsening economic pressures in India, especially rising fuel costs and trade uncertainty.

According to the Congressman, the consequences of the war extended far beyond West Asia and significantly affected India’s economy.

“The US-India relationship has been at the lowest point in the last 30 years. Trump’s policies of getting into a war in Iran have been utterly destructive. It has been utterly destructive to the prices in India of gas… and then the irrationality of the tariff war,” he said.

His remarks underline growing criticism of how geopolitical instability in West Asia has affected energy-importing countries such as India.

India had urged restraint during crisis

Khanna’s comments come months after India repeatedly called for de-escalation during the US-Iran conflict.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held separate conversations with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and President Trump during the crisis, stressing the importance of dialogue, regional stability and uninterrupted maritime trade.

A major concern for New Delhi was the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy routes and a key artery for India’s crude oil imports.

Modi later welcomed the US-Iran understanding, saying it would help restore peace, stability and freedom of navigation in the region.

Hormuz disruption triggered energy shock

The war triggered fears of prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly 40 per cent of India’s crude oil imports pass.

As tensions escalated, global crude prices surged sharply, putting pressure on India’s fuel supply chain and domestic energy prices.

The Indian government responded with emergency measures, including temporary restrictions on petrol and diesel sales, higher export duties on select petroleum products and public appeals for fuel conservation.

Long queues were reported at fuel stations in several cities as panic buying increased, while oil marketing companies struggled with volatile international prices and supply uncertainty.

Relief as tensions ease

Only recently did India begin rolling back emergency restrictions after tensions eased and progress was made toward a US-Iran understanding.

The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz has since helped cool global crude prices, providing relief to refiners and consumers.

Khanna’s remarks add a political dimension to the economic fallout of the conflict, highlighting concerns in Washington over how Trump’s foreign policy decisions affected not only US alliances but also major partners such as India.