‘He Has His Own Reasons’ Shashi Tharoor on Rahul Backing Trump’s “Dead Economy” Comment

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday chose a diplomatic path when asked about party leader Rahul Gandhi’s endorsement of Donald Trump’s “dead economy” comment, stating that while his leader had “his own reasons” for the remark, his own focus was on preserving the crucial trade relationship between India and the United States.

Speaking on the brewing controversy, Tharoor underscored the significance of the US as one of India’s most important strategic and economic partners. He highlighted the scale of the trade relationship, noting that India exports approximately $90 billion worth of goods to America annually. “We can’t therefore be in a position where we are going to lose that or have it diminish significantly,” he asserted, emphasizing that despite being a small fraction of India’s GDP, the US remains one of its largest export markets.

The controversy began after US President Donald Trump, while announcing new 25% tariffs, launched a tirade against India, labeling its economy “dead” and stating, “India and Russia can take their dead economies down together, for all I care.” The comment drew varied reactions in India, with Rahul Gandhi notably appearing to agree with Trump’s assessment. “The reality is that India’s economy is dead. And it has been murdered by the BJP government,” the Leader of the Opposition had told reporters.

While declining to directly comment on his party leader’s statement, Tharoor focused on the path forward. He expressed support for India’s trade negotiators, saying, “When we look at the tariff question, we must wish our negotiators strength and courage in working out a fair deal for India.” He also suggested that India should actively explore other regions for its exports to mitigate any potential losses from the US market