Tharoor praises Modi’s US trip, breaks ranks with Congress

During a press interaction, Modi had dismissed a question about Adani, stating that heads of state do not discuss private individuals. Rahul Gandhi responded sharply, saying, “If you ask questions in the country, there is silence. If you ask abroad, it is a personal matter! Even in America, Modi Ji covered up Adani Ji’s corruption! When filling a friend’s pocket becomes ‘nation-building,’ taking bribes and looting the nation’s wealth becomes a personal matter.”

Tharoor, a four-term MP and chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, took a different stance, calling US President Donald Trump’s admiration for Modi “astonishing”.

“Calling Mr Modi a better negotiator than himself is remarkable because Mr Trump takes pride in his deal-making abilities. His own Defence Secretary recently called him the greatest negotiator in the world, yet here he is saying Modi is better than him. That’s high praise from a man not known for giving compliments easily. This is good news,” Tharoor said.

He also highlighted key takeaways from the visit, stating that major concerns, including trade and defence, had been effectively addressed.

“On trade and tariffs, both sides have agreed to serious negotiations that will conclude by October or November. This is a positive outcome, as it prevents hasty decisions that could impact our exports. I welcome that,” Tharoor said.

He also hailed Trump’s decision to sell F-35 fighter jets to India, calling it “very valuable.” “With the Rafale already in our arsenal and now the F-35s, the Indian Air Force should be in excellent shape. Overall, we’ve secured everything we could have expected at this time,” Tharoor remarked, adding that he looked forward to an official briefing from the Ministry of External Affairs.

Earlier in the day, Trump heaped praise on Modi, calling him “a very tough and much better negotiator than me. There’s not even a contest here.”

Welcoming Modi at the White House, Trump told him, “We missed you a lot,” and presented him with a copy of his book Our Journey Together, inscribed with the message: “Mr Prime Minister, You Are Great.”