‘He has his reasons’: Tharoor on Rahul backing Trump’s ‘dead economy’ remark | WATCH

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader and MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday declined to comment on Rahul Gandhi's recent endorsement of US President Donald Trump's controversial remark, in which Trump referred to the Indian economy as "dead". Tharoor stated that Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, may have had his own reasons for making such a statement.

Speaking to the media, Tharoor said, "I don't want to comment on what my party leader has said. He has his reasons for saying so. My concern is that our relationship with the US, as a strategic and economic partnership, is important for us. We are exporting around 90 billion worth of goods to America. 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... 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."

The remarks come after Rahul Gandhi, speaking to reporters on Thursday, agreed with Trump’s characterisation of India’s economy. "Yes, he is right. Everybody knows this except the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister. The Indian economy is dead. I am glad that President Trump has stated a fact. The entire world knows this. The BJP has finished the economy to benefit Adani," Gandhi said.

Trump’s original comment was made on Wednesday via his social media platform, Truth Social, shortly after announcing a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods. He also warned of additional penalties on India over its continued imports of Russian oil.