Shashi Tharoor Defends Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Dead Economy’ Remark

Quick Summary:

• Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on August 2, 2025, declined to comment on Rahul Gandhi’s endorsement of U.S. President Donald Trump’s statement labeling the Indian economy as “dead.”
• Rahul Gandhi had earlier agreed with Trump’s remark, stating he was “glad” that the U.S. President acknowledged what he considers a fact.
• Gandhi accused the ruling BJP of damaging the Indian economy to benefit industrialist Adani, adding that only Prime Minister modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman appear unaware of its purported state.
• on July 30, 2025, trump had announced 25% tariffs against India and threatened further penalties for importing Russian oil via his social media platform Truth Social.
• Tharoor emphasized the importance of India’s strategic economic partnership with the U.S., highlighting $90 billion in exports to America annually and stressing support for strong negotiators in trade talks while urging diversification in export markets.

Indian Opinion Analysis:
the remarks by both Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor reflect diverging focuses within their party amidst growing international trade challenges posed by escalating tariffs from the United States under President Trump. While Gandhi’s sharp criticism aligns his stance with ongoing domestic political narratives against BJP policies, it risks straining external perceptions about India during sensitive trade discussions when strategic partnerships are critical for mitigating economic impacts due to heightened tariffs or geopolitical tension over Russian oil imports.

On the other hand, Tharoor’s measured approach underscores a pragmatic focus on maintaining key relationships while advocating broader market diversification-a policy strategy possibly useful for buffering losses from any reduced American demand. His comments suggest an awareness of India’s significant reliance on exports to America but also acknowledge that proactive measures are required to preserve economic stability in evolving global trade dynamics.

India finds itself at a juncture requiring diplomatic finesse: balancing internal political discourse with external policy strategies designed to secure its global interests effectively remains crucial at this stage.

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