Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], September 7 (ANI): Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s warm response to US President Donald Trump’s recent remarks on India-US relations, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Sunday said that while the Prime Minister was quick to respond positively, there remained “serious repair work” for governments and diplomats on both sides to address.
Welcoming the “new tone” in the relationship but urging caution, Tharoor said, “One can’t just forget and forgive so quickly because there are real consequences that Indians are facing on the ground and those consequences need to be overcome. The Prime Minister was very quick to respond, and the Foreign Minister has also underscored the importance of the basic relationship that is a comprehensive global strategic partnership. That message is important for us to give, but there is still repair work that needs to be done.”
Tharoor cautioned that the tariffs imposed by Trump could not be brushed aside. “I don’t think we can just completely forget either the 50 per cent tariffs or the insults that have accompanied them from both the President and his staff. Mr Trump has a fairly mercurial temperament, and what he has been saying has caused some hurt and offence in our country. The 50 per cent tariffs have already had consequences,” he added.
Earlier on Friday (local time), Trump had described India-US ties as a “very special relationship” and reaffirmed that he and PM Modi would “always be friends,” asserting there was “nothing to worry about.” PM Modi responded warmly on X, writing: “Deeply appreciate and fully reciprocate President Trump’s sentiments and positive assessment of our ties. India and the US have a very positive and forward-looking Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership.”
On US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s recent comments about India’s trade with Russia, Tharoor defended New Delhi’s position, stressing that India had acted with maturity. “I don’t think we have anything to say sorry about at all. India has behaved with a great deal of maturity on this. Trade with Russia, particularly oil, was actually blessed by previous American administrations; they requested us to buy some Russian oil to stabilise global prices. China and Turkey buy more Russian oil and gas than we do, and Europe buys other Russian products, putting more billions into Russia’s kitty than us,” he said.
Tharoor further argued that Washington was unfairly singling out India. “It seems bizarre that we are alone being accused of financing the Russian war effort when others are doing far more. I think there has been a mistake in American policy against India, which is not warranted or justified. Mr Lutnick has to understand that we are a sovereign nation, just as they are. They can take their own sovereign decisions, and we will take ours,” he said.
Lutnick had earlier stated that despite India’s firm stance on continuing oil trade with Russia, New Delhi would eventually return to the table to strike a deal with Washington in the coming months.
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