Tharoor Refrains as Rahul Gandhi Backs Trump's 'Dead Economy' Remarks

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor declined to express an opinion regarding party leader Rahul Gandhi's alignment with U.S. President Donald Trump's comments branding the Indian economy as 'dead'. Tharoor suggested that Gandhi might have personal reasons for his agreement, following Gandhi's remarks embracing Trump's viewpoint last Thursday.

In a session with the media, Tharoor emphasized the importance of India's strategic and economic ties with the U.S., citing a significant export volume of approximately $90 billion. He stressed that India cannot afford substantial deterioration in this relationship and expressed hope for robust negotiations to secure favorable terms for India.

Rahul Gandhi reinforced President Trump's stance during a press briefing, claiming widespread recognition of the Indian economy's dire state, which he argued only the Prime Minister and Finance Minister fail to acknowledge. This follows President Trump's critique, involving new tariffs and potential penalties over India's dealings with Russia.

(With inputs from agencies.)