Shashi Tharoor on dealing with Trump tariff: ‘Must convey no one can take India for granted’

Shashi Tharoor also termed the US President’s choice of word such as 'dead economy' for India an ;idiosyncratic negotiating style'.

Amid escalating tariff tensions with the Donald Trump administration, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday said New Delhi must convey that no one can take India for granted.

Speaking about the ongoing negotiations between Indian representatives from the Commerce Ministry and office of the US Trade Representative, Tharoor told CNN-News18 that it is important for India to know where it stands as a self-respecting nation.

“It is important that we back our negotiators. There needs to be clarity on where the red lines are to be drawn,” said the Congress leader.

Tharoor also termed the US President’s choice of words such as “dead economy” for India “idiosyncratic negotiating style”. “Frankly, when you insult another country, it is almost like a schoolboy bullying a younger child saying that your mother is ugly. It is not meant to be taken literally,” Tharoor told CNN-News18. “There is no other world leader who in a public diplomatic statement says such undiplomatic things than Trump."

However, he said “we need to take him seriously” as the tangible effect of Trump signing the executive order is “quite serious”. "Even a 25% tariff would leave several of our industries out of the US market since most others are below 20%. Why would anyone in the US want to buy our products? So, we need to find other markets quickly. We have an FTA in place with the UK. We may look at that as an option," he said.

On being asked if India was not expecting a high tariff, the Congress leader said, "It looks like there has been a miscalculation on our part but I think it's also not the end of the story yet."

On the Opposition's charge that India's foreign policy has failed under PM Modi, Tharoor said that it was too early to come to a conclusion since the negotiations are still underway.

According to reports, India had been planning to send Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to Washington in the coming weeks to procure new US weapons and aircraft, but that trip has been cancelled. "We have clearly given a message that Don't think there won't be a price to pay," said Tharoor.