Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has expressed optimism regarding the recent meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump, describing the outcomes as "very encouraging" and highlighting the fact that several major concerns had been addressed. Tharoor, a prominent opposition leader and former diplomat, noted that the discussions covered critical areas such as trade, defense, and immigration, all of which have been major points of contention between the two nations in recent years. He particularly welcomed the decision to engage in further negotiations regarding trade and tariffs, stressing that this approach would provide both countries with the necessary time to deliberate and arrive at mutually beneficial agreements, rather than making hasty decisions that could harm India’s economic interests.
The meeting, which took place at the White House, was highly anticipated as it came just hours after Trump had announced sweeping reciprocal tariffs, raising concerns about the impact on Indian exports. However, Tharoor said that the agreement to continue negotiations until autumn was a positive development. "I think that’s a very good outcome because otherwise, the fear was that there might be some hasty decisions made in Washington that would have affected our exports," he stated. "This way, there is time to discuss and negotiate.”
On the issue of immigration, Tharoor expressed support for Prime Minister Modi’s position, stating that India has always been willing to accept its citizens who have entered other countries illegally. However, he raised concerns about the treatment of undocumented Indian migrants deported from the U.S., pointing to reports that many were returned in handcuffs and leg restraints. He acknowledged that those who enter another country illegally do not have the right to remain there but hoped that discussions behind closed doors had addressed the need for humane treatment during deportations. "These are misled youth who have been encouraged and induced to migrate illegally. They should be taken back if they’re Indian citizens," he said, adding, "But I hope something was said behind closed doors—that mistreatment and abuse should be avoided in the future."
Tharoor also hailed the defense agreements reached during the visit, particularly the U.S.’s commitment to sell F-35 stealth fighter jets to India. President Trump confirmed that his administration was ready to facilitate the sale of these advanced aircraft, along with an increase in overall military sales to India worth billions of dollars. Tharoor noted that this deal was a major step forward for India's defense capabilities, stating, "On the defense front, the commitment to sell us the F-35 stealth aircraft is very valuable because that is a state-of-the-art aircraft. We already have Rafale. With the F-35, the Indian Air Force should be in very good shape."
Summing up the overall bilateral discussions, Tharoor described the meeting as productive and largely beneficial for India. He remarked, "We have got all that we could have expected, except for an assurance in the way the migrants were sent back." His comments reflect a broader consensus that the Modi-Trump meeting yielded tangible results in multiple areas while also leaving room for further diplomatic engagement to address lingering concerns.
