Shashi Tharoor Welcomes Trump’s Shift but Says Tariffs, Insults Still Hurt

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Sunday said that while US President Donald Trump’s “new tone” on relations with India was welcome, his earlier insults and punitive tariffs could not be forgiven or forgotten so easily.

Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s warm response to Trump’s recent remarks on India-US ties, Tharoor said governments and diplomats on both sides still had “serious repair work” to do.

“The Prime Minister was very quick to respond, and the foreign minister has also underscored the importance of the comprehensive global strategic partnership, which remains intact. That message is important. But I would welcome this new tone with caution. One can’t just forget and forgive so quickly because there are real consequences that Indians are facing on the ground,” Tharoor told ANI.

The Thiruvananthapuram MP pointed to the 50% tariffs imposed on Indian goods under Trump, calling them damaging. “I don’t think we can just completely forget either the tariffs or the insults that accompanied them 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,” he added.

Trump on Friday described India-US ties as a “very special relationship,” asserting that he and Modi would “always be friends.” Modi reciprocated warmly, posting on X: “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.”