Tharoor calls for “serious repair work” between the two nations, warning that past tariffs and insults have left deep wounds.
He defends India’s oil imports from Russia, arguing that other countries engage more extensively and that sovereign choices must be respected.
While acknowledging a shift in diplomatic messaging, Tharoor stresses that rebuilding trust requires time and deliberate effort.
'Welcome This New Tone, But With Caution,' Tharoor Says on India-US Ties and Trump
The Congress MP appreciates Prime Minister Modi’s prompt response to Trump but underscores the need for careful diplomacy to address lingering trade and trust issues.
Summary
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's response to US President Donald Trump regarding the India-US relationship, saying that although PM Modi was very prompt in his response, the governments and diplomats of both nations needed to do some serious repair work.
Tharoor welcomed this "new tone" cautiously, saying that given the repercussions Indians had to endure, it was impossible to forgive Trump's offence and hurt so easily.
According to ANI, Tharoor said, "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."
He went on to say that the effects of Trump's tariffs on the populace were not entirely forgettable.
"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.
According to President Trump, there is "nothing to worry about" and that he and Prime Minister Modi will always be friends. He described the India-US relationship as a "very special relationship" earlier on Friday (local time).
ANI reported that Trump's comments and his favourable evaluation of the two countries' relationship were met with a warm response from PM Modi.
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"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.
In response to remarks made by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick over India's trade relations with Russia, Tharoor said that India acted in a very mature manner.
"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," 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 were 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," Tharoor stated.
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According to ANI, 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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