Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Sunday reacted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks on the India-US relationship with US President Donald Trump, noting that while PM Modi responded swiftly, significant work remains for both governments and diplomats to mend relations.
Welcoming this “new tone” but with caution, Tharoor emphasized that the hurt and offence caused by Trump could not be easily overlooked, given the real-world consequences faced by Indians.
"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 also pointed out that the tariffs imposed by Trump had real consequences among the people, which could not be easily negated.
"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.
On Friday (local time), US President Trump called India-US relations a "very special relationship" and reiterated his friendship with PM Modi, assuring that there was "nothing to worry about."
PM Modi welcomed Trump's comments favorably, thanking the US President for his evaluation of 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 US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's remarks about India's trade with Russia, Tharoor said that India had conducted itself with a lot 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.
Tharoor also noted that India was being urged to purchase Russian oil in order to stabilise the price of oil on a global level.
"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.
Tharoor emphasized that while US policy in India had gone wrong, there was a need to respect India's sovereignty.
"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 remark follows Lutnick reporting that even as India is holding firm on Russian oil commerce, New Delhi is bound to ultimately strike a bargain with Washington in the months ahead.
