Congress MP Shashi Tharoor expressed satisfaction over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with US President Donald Trump, stating that key concerns seem to have been addressed. He particularly welcomed the US commitment to selling India the F-35 stealth aircraft, calling it “very valued.”
Speaking in Bengaluru during the Global Investors’ Meet (GIM), Tharoor highlighted how the addition of the F-35 would significantly strengthen the Indian Air Force, complementing the existing fleet of Rafale jets. “On the defence front, the commitment to sell us F-35 stealth aircraft is very valued. That’s the state-of-the-art aircraft and certainly, we already had the Rafale, now with the F-35, the Indian Air Force would be in very good shape,” Tharoor said.
He also noted that further details would emerge when PM Modi and his team returned, expecting a formal briefing from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Trade Talks and Immigration Concerns
Tharoor found the trade-related discussions between PM Modi and President Trump encouraging, particularly the decision to negotiate trade and tariff issues by fall, avoiding hasty decisions that could negatively impact Indian exports. “I think that’s a very good outcome because the fear was there might be some hasty decisions made in Washington which would affect our exports,” he remarked.
On the issue of illegal immigration, Tharoor acknowledged that PM Modi’s stand was correct in accepting the return of Indian migrants who had entered the US illegally. However, he expressed concerns about the way deportees were treated, including reports of handcuffing and mistreatment during their return.
“But, I hope something there was said behind closed doors not perhaps in the press conference inside privately this manner of doing it, the handcuffs, mistreats, insults, the military aircraft should be avoided in future. And I am sure that if the Prime Minister has done that, the Americans would want to listen,” he stated.
Trump’s Praise for PM Modi’s Negotiation Skills
Tharoor was particularly struck by Trump’s statement calling PM Modi a better negotiator than himself. “Donald Trump calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a better negotiator than himself is astonishing because Trump takes pride in being the art of the deal,” he remarked.
He pointed out that even Trump’s own defense secretary had previously called him “the greatest negotiator in the world.” Given Trump’s usual reluctance to praise others, Tharoor viewed his remark as “a high degree of praise from a man who is not known for saying praiseworthy things.”
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