Modi should press Trump for fair treatment of deported Indians: Tharoor

Bengaluru: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday voiced hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had conveyed to US President Donald Trump that deporting Indians in shackles aboard a military aircraft was unacceptable. He also noted that the press conference between the two leaders indicated a productive meeting.  

Trump hosted Modi for discussions at the White House earlier that day, where they deliberated on bilateral, regional, and global issues. Speaking to PTI Tharoor remarked, "I hope, behind closed doors, he (Modi) said to the Americans, 'You can't insult our people. You can send them back, they are illegal, we will look after them, they belong in our country but don't send them back in shackles and handcuffs on a military aircraft... That is not right'... I hope he (Modi) has said it behind closed doors. We don't know."

Earlier this month, a US military aircraft deported 104 Indians residing illegally in the country, marking the first such instance under the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. The deportees claimed they remained handcuffed and shackled throughout the flight, only to be freed upon landing in Amritsar.  

Commenting on the press conference between Modi and Trump, Tharoor stated that their interaction suggested the meeting had gone well. "...on other matters, including Ukraine peace and so on, the press conference suggested that the two of them had a very good meeting," he said. He further pointed out Trump's praise for Modi’s negotiation skills, adding, "To hear a man like Donald Trump, whose defence secretary yesterday called him the greatest negotiator in the world, announcing that the Indian prime minister was a better negotiator than he was, that sounds like something Mr Modi can put in the bank, that sounds very good." 

The discussion between the two leaders also revolved around trade and tariff policies, which took place just hours after Trump introduced a new reciprocal tariff system for all US trading partners.  

When asked about the matter, Tharoor emphasised the need for a balanced approach, highlighting the importance of exports for economic growth. He noted that India, especially under the BJP-led government, maintains high protective tariffs in certain sectors, while the US insists on greater market access for its products. "India, particularly under the BJP government, does have rather high and somewhat protectionist tariffs in some areas. Their argument is, 'We have to protect Indian industry'... The Americans say, 'We want to sell goods to you'... So you have to make it more feasible," he stated.  

He suggested that a compromise must be reached, acknowledging that excessive reciprocal tariffs from the US could hurt Indian exporters. "Clearly, on some items, we cannot be in a situation where American reciprocal tariffs will make it impossible for our exporters... Our economy will not grow unless our exports grow," Tharoor explained.  

He further stressed the importance of forging a mutually beneficial trade arrangement with the US. "We need to find out how we can create a constructive deal with America, it may not be a complete free trade agreement but a deal that will give us an opportunity to sell goods to them and, in exchange, let them sell us some goods that perhaps we don't make here... We will have to find a way and that will be the responsibility of who is leading the negotiations in the course of the next nine months."

At the joint press briefing, Trump announced an agreement with Modi that would enable India to import more US oil and gas, aimed at reducing Washington’s trade deficit with New Delhi. Modi, in turn, welcomed Trump’s initiatives to resolve the Ukraine conflict, reiterating that peace could not be achieved through warfare and that dialogue and diplomacy were the only solutions.