At a Diwali celebration on Capitol Hill, U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) hailed India as a “major global power,” calling the U.S.-India relationship one of the most consequential in the world today.

Speaking at the “Commonwealth Coffee” Diwali celebration held at the Hart Senate Office Building on October 23, 2025, Senator Warner observed that for many years people said “India’s coming,” but now, he said, “I think India has arrived. India’s arrived as a major power, a global power.”

Warner emphasized that the partnership between the United States and India is “extraordinarily important,” noting that it is one reason he believes President Donald Trump made a mistake in “doubling tariffs” on India.

“Maybe this is two immovable forces, the ego of Donald Trump and the ego of Narendra Modi, both of them look up pretty big and but it doesn’t seem like it’s based on policy,” he said.

Commenting on the recent $100,000 H-1B visa fee proposed for applicants beginning September 21, Warner cautioned that while large corporations might still manage the cost, startup companies will struggle to attract world-class talent.

He underscored that the H-1B program has long been a vital pathway for global professionals to contribute to the American economy.

Extending Diwali greetings, Warner added, “If we ever need some additional light, it is now so.” A longtime supporter of India, Warner led the first gubernatorial delegation to India as Governor of Virginia and has served for 15 years as co-chair of the U.S. Senate India Caucus, the largest bipartisan caucus in the Senate.

Warner was joined by Senator Tim Kaine, Congressman Suhas Subramanyam, State Senator Kannan Srinivasan, State Delegate JJ Singh, and several community leaders from Virginia and beyond.

Congressman Suhas Subramanyam, the first South Asian elected to the U.S. Congress from Virginia, shared a personal reflection on his family’s immigrant journey.

He recalled how his parents, who immigrated from India in the late 1970s and studied at Howard University, celebrated Diwali in modest ways. “My dad was doing his residency at DC General Hospital,” he said, recalling that “Diwali wasn’t a thing in the U.S. like it is now. He and his parents and six other desi families gathered at the apartment complex and would just light a candle.”

“And it was very simple. They would just talk about life,” he said, comparing that time to his current home in Brambleton, which he described as “becoming a Little India.”

Subramanyam also noted that October is a month of many celebrations, adding that his family observes Navaratri. He urged the audience to support State Senator Ghazala Hashmi, who is on the ballot in November for Lieutenant Governor, and recognized both JJ Singh and Kannan Srinivasan in the audience.

Senator Kaine shared that he has begun celebrating Diwali in recent years as an opportunity to connect with diverse communities.

“If we ever needed light, we need it now… every year, when we have this celebration, you think about light and darkness,” Kaine said, echoing Subramanyam’s sentiments about confronting evil and adversity.

Quoting Russian writer Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Kaine added, “The line between good and evil runs through the heart of every person.” He reflected that Diwali is not just about external darkness but also an opportunity to confront one’s own weaknesses and strive to become stronger.

Calling the celebration “important and uplifting,” Kaine praised community leaders Kannan Srinivasan and JJ Singh, describing them as “good friends” and “true public servants in the best sense of the word.”

“You guys do such good work. You both are pathbreakers. It’s been fun to be on the campaign trail with both of you,” he said. “Long before either of these folks were in office, I’d be doing events in my own elections or to help others, and they would be there helping out.” 

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