Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday refrained from directly commenting on fellow party leader Rahul Gandhi’s endorsement of former US President Donald Trump’s controversial statement describing the Indian economy as 'dead.' Tharoor said the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha likely had his “own reasons” for making such a comment.
Rahul Gandhi had agreed with Trump’s assertion and publicly said he was “glad” that the former US President had stated a “fact” about the condition of India’s economy. “Yes, he is right. Everybody knows this except the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister. Everybody knows that the Indian economy is a dead economy. I am glad that President Trump has stated a fact. The entire world knows that the Indian economy is a dead economy,” Gandhi told reporters outside Parliament on Thursday.
His remarks came a day after Trump made a strongly worded post on his social media platform, Truth Social, where he announced 25 per cent tariffs on Indian imports and hinted at further penalties due to India’s continued imports of Russian oil. When asked about Rahul Gandhi’s comments, Shashi Tharoor told mediapersons, “I don’t want to comment on what my party leader has said. He has his reasons for saying so.”
Also Read: Shashi Tharoor differs with Rahul Gandhi on Trump remarks
Tharoor instead chose to focus on the broader implications of the US-India relationship. He emphasised the strategic and economic importance of the partnership, pointing out that India exports nearly $90 billion worth of goods to the United States. “We can’t be in a position to lose that or have it diminish significantly. We must wish our negotiators strength to get a fair deal for India,” he said.
He also advised that India diversify its trade channels. “We should also be talking to other regions for exporting our goods. Then we could make up for some of what we might lose in the US We have to support our negotiators,” Tharoor added. Tharoor’s careful response highlights internal differences within the Congress on how to approach India's economic challenges and manage foreign relations, especially with strategic partners like the United States.
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