Shashi Tharoor offers an explanation on Trump's ‘dead economy' remark

Hindustan Times

15 hours ago

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has said that former US President Donald Trump's description of India as a 'dead economy' was intended as an 'insult' and should not be interpreted 'literally'. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor at Parliament premises during the ongoing monsoon session, in New Delhi.(ANI)
Speaking in Pune on Sunday during a conversation with Crossword CEO Aakash Gupta, Tharoor said India must remain clear-eyed about its national interests, especially at a time when global powers are contributing to instability rather than order.
The senior Congress leader addressed a range of subjects during the discussion, including his latest book, The Living Constitution.
Trump had last week referred to India as a 'dead economy', hours after announcing a 25 per cent tariff on Indian imports and hinting at additional penalties for India's continued purchase of Russian crude oil and military equipment.
Tharoor said such comments come amid an increasingly volatile and unpredictable global landscape, especially with Trump in a position of power.
"On Trump, let me say, you can't take him literally, but you do need to take him seriously. He is the President of the US, and the decisions he makes can affect policies, and policies can affect us. So take him seriously, but don't take him literally, not every word. When he says your economy is dead, it's like a schoolboy in the playground saying your mother is ugly. You are not supposed to take that seriously. It is meant to be an insult, not meant to be taken literally," he said.
Tharoor noted that the global impact of Trump's tariff policies over the past six months has been significant, and India, too, has felt the effects in recent days.
"We are going to have to recover because the American relationship, and I don't just mean the trade relationship, the strategic partnership, is important enough for us to want to make the real effort to make this work. So I think there is a lot that needs to be done," he said.
He also questioned the credibility of international institutions like the UN and its Security Council, given the active role major powers are playing in ongoing conflicts.
"...the wars are being conducted with the active involvement of some of the biggest powers in the world. And that, again, means that the people who are supposed to be upholding world order are contributing to promoting disorder. In the midst of all this, what does India do to navigate its position? Well, first of all, of course, we have to be very clear in our minds what our national interests are," Tharoor said.
He stressed that India's top priority should be the well-being of its people.
"And that means focusing on our development, on our prosperity, on our harmony, on our coexistence with each other, and on the safety and security of our borders as well, which have recently been threatened both from the Chinese side and the Pakistani side. And we have to be prepared to be robustly able to defend ourselves without jeopardising the larger story of our development and our growth," he said.
On the global stage, Tharoor said India must assert itself as a key player.
"We have to be amongst the rule makers and not just the rule takers. We have to be a significant player so that we are not in a position where others can dictate to us or push us around. Our credibility matters. We are already the most populous country in the world. We are already amongst the largest economies in the world and will soon be the third largest. In all these circumstances, we do matter. We have to be counted. But at the same time, we have to be sure what we want to be counted for," he asserted.
He expressed confidence that India, with a clear understanding of its priorities and interests, will be able to navigate today's uncertainty with competence.
Asked about the delegation he led to the United States to explain Operation Sindoor and his meeting with US Vice President JD Vance, Tharoor said, "We had extremely good and effective meetings as not only was our message well received, but it was almost repeated back to us with sympathy, understanding, and respect."
"I had a very limited mandate. We were just there to explain Operation Sindoor, why we did what we did, what the thing was all about and what it was not all about, and the fact that we had to convey to the outside world that if terrorists strike us again, we will have to strike back again, so they better be prepared for that. And those messages were very clearly respected, understood, and applauded," he added.