“Some Big Concerns…”: Shashi Tharoor On PM Modi-Donald Trump Meeting

Bengaluru:

Expressing happiness over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with US President Donald Trump, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said on Friday it looks like big concerns have been addressed and called the US commitment to sell us F-35 stealth aircraft “very valued”.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, on the sidelines of the Global Investors’ Meet (GIM), Mr Tharoor said, “On the defence front, the commitment to sell us F35 stealth aircraft is very valued. That’s the state-of-the-art aircraft and certainly, we already had the Rafael, now with the F35, the Indian Air Force would be in very good shape.”

“If you look at the main issues, we have heard about so far, I am very encouraged and I look forward to more details when the Prime Minister and his team are back and expect a briefing from the MEA in the standing committee,” he said.

Mr Tharoor further stated, “The press statements by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump are encouraging. It looks like some of the big concerns we have had been addressed for example on the question of trade and tariffs they have decided to sit down and hold serious negotiations that would conclude by the fall which is September and October of this year. I think that’s a very good outcome because the fear was there might be some hasty decisions made in Washington which would affect our exports.”

“This way there is time to negotiate and I welcome that. Secondly, on the illegal immigration issue, the only thing missing there on what Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, was the question of manner of those persons were treated and sent back.”