Congress leader Jairam Ramesh tore into Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, the morning after Delhi shot off a terse response in protest against President Donald Trump’s threat of substantially increasing the tariff India pays to the US.
“This is what Robert Lighthizer, President Trump's top trade negotiator during Trump-I, wrote in his memoir published in June 2023. The situation has worsened since then,” Ramesh wrote in a post on X.
“India suffers from an extremely strong professional bureaucracy in all areas of government,” the book extract he posted a snapshot of said.
“It is also unusual in the extent to which oligarchs influence government policy. When I was in negotiations with Indian officials, I kept a copy of the biography of each of the country's fifteen or so billionaires on my desk. In predicting Indian government positions, I would look to the interests of these men. I can remember at one point telling an Indian friend of mine who had made a fortune in business that I thought there were fifteen oligarchs who basically ran the country. He corrected me. "Bob you're wrong. Only about seven of them actually run the country. The others just try to influence the seven."”
On Trump’s threat of substantially raising tariffs on India for buying oil, Ramesh told ANI: “For years, the PM has been claiming that President Trump and he share a special bond. This friendship proved to be very expensive. The MEA has issued a statement now but it is clear that our relations with the US have deteriorated. Today, CAP - China, America and Pakistan have become a challenge for us.
"There is a popular song, Dost dost na raha,” he added. “The PM must also know the song. 'Dost dost na raha, Trump yaar hamein tera aitbaar na raha'. They conducted 'Howdy Modi' and 'Namaste Trump'. They said 'Abki baar Trump sarkar'. There were photo ops. Our EAM was sitting in the first row during the inauguration of President Trump. Claims were made that the PM shares a special bond with President Trump, that they are old friends. What is the result of all of it? Threats of increased tariffs are being made.
“This friendship proved to be very expensive,” he said, demanding answers from PM Modi,
“For years, he has been claiming that President Trump and he share a special bond, they hug, get photos clicked and hold talks. First, he [Trump] spoke of mediation – that he got the ceasefire done. He said this 32-33 times. The PM did not say anything on this. The MEA has issued a statement now but it is clear that our relations with the US have deteriorated."
