Thiruvanthapuram : Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's response to US President Donald Trump on the India-US relationship, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Sunday stated that while PM Modi was very quick to respond, there was some serious repair work that needed to be done by the governments and diplomats of both countries.
Welcoming this "new tone" with a spirit of caution, Mr Tharoor stated one could not forgive the hurt and offence caused by Trump so quickly, keeping in mind the consequences Indians faced.
"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, which is still there. And that message is an important message for us to give... I think there's some serious repair work that needs to be done by governments and diplomats on both sides. I would welcome this new tone with a spirit of caution. 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...," Mr Tharoor told ANI.
He further stated that the tariffs imposed by Trump had consequences on the people, which could not be completely forgotten.
"I don't think we can just completely forget either the 50 per cent tariffs or the insults that have accompanied it 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 actually had consequences already..." he further added.
Earlier on Friday (local time), President Trump called the India-US ties a "very special relationship" and affirmed that he and PM Modi would always be friends, asserting that there is "nothing to worry about".
PM Modi responded warmly to Trump's remarks and his positive assessment of the bilateral relations.
"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," the Prime Minister said in a post on X.
Responding to the US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's comments concerning India's trade ties with Russia, Mr Tharoor stated that India behaved with a great deal of maturity.
"I don't think we have anything to say sorry about at all. India has behaved with a great deal of maturity on all of this," Mr Tharoor said.
Further, the Congress MP stated that India had been encouraged to purchase Russian oil to stabilise oil prices.
"Also, don't forget that trade with Russia and oil was actually blessed by previous American administrations; they requested us to buy some Russian oil to stabilise global oil prices. Secondly, China buys more Russian oil and gas than we do. Turkey buys more Russian oil and gas than we do. Europe doesn't buy oil and gas, but they buy other Russian items, so they're putting more billions of dollars into Russia's kitty than we do," Mr Tharoor stated.
Mr Tharoor stated that while there had been an error in the American policies against India, which was not "warranted or justified," he stated that Lutnick has to understand that India is also a sovereign nation, and could take their own decisions.
"It seems bizarre that we are alone being singled out for allegedly financing the Russian war effort when others are doing far more than we are. So I think there has been a certain mistake made in American policy against India, which is not warranted or justified. I do not think India has anything to say sorry for. I think Mr Lutnick has to understand that we are a sovereign nation, just as they are. They can take their own sovereign decisions, we will take our own sovereign decisions," he added.
This comes after Lutnick stated that despite India maintaining a firm position 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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