Gor says Indian Minister bullish on US ties; Ask Jaishankar, Democrat scoffs
California Democrat Ro Khanna blasted US President Donald Trump for destroying ties with India, calling it the lowest in 30 years, while speaking at an event. He said Trump's policies have eroded India's trust.
Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna slammed US President Donald Trump for his "utterly destructive policies", going on to say that under Trump, the US-India relationship is at its "lowest in 30 years". Ro Khanna's remarks, made at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum Leadership Summit in Washington, were in stark contrast to US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor who, at the very same event, expressed optimism, saying that the friendship between India and the US will stand the test of time.
Recalling a recent China visit, Khanna said that the Indian envoy there told him that a "generation of trust" has been lost due to Trump's policies. "Now, you know I'm not one to mince words. I sort of tell things as they are. The US-India relationship has been at its lowest point in the last 30 years," the California Democrat said during his speech.
"Trump's policies of getting into a war with Iran have been utterly destructive. It has been utterly destructive to the prices of gas in India. Talk to (External Affairs Minister S) Jaishankar if you don't believe me," Khanna further said, adding that the truth about the damage that Trump has done needs to be spoken else "we are not living in reality".
Calling the 80-year-old a "lame duck", Khanna said that partnerships do not matter any more when the President is ruining the US's leadership in the entire world.
"The demagoguery about immigrants, the demagoguery of this President and talking about the lack of immigrants coming into the United States. How can we sit here and not condemn his policies on what he has done with student visas, with the demonisation of talent coming to the United States," he further said.
Mocking Trump's remarks on the US being the frontrunner in AI, the Congressman said, "38 per cent of the top AI researchers are of Chinese origin. 72 per cent have foreign degrees. This is a President who doesn't understand that we need to be recruiting talent, not turning talent away."
WHAT SERGIO GOR SAID
Meanwhile, Sergio Gor expressed confidence about ties between the US and India remaining intact. He has emphasised that no matter the chatter around, Washington and New Delhi's friendship will continue to bloom. The US envoy said that an Indian Minister told him that the relationship between the two nations will remain solid even after 50 years.
"I was with a minister in New Delhi a couple of weeks ago, and he said to me, he said, 'No matter what you hear in the news, 50 years from now, our two countries will still be friends. You're the world's oldest democracy, we're the world's largest democracy.' And the second part that he added to that is, 'We have the same principles when it comes to democracy, which include robust opposition, by the way'. Not every nation has that," Gor said.
He stressed that courtesy multiple commonalities between Washington and Delhi, their relationship will always be sustainable. Gor, however, threw shade at India's neighbours – without taking any name – by saying that the country is located in a tough part of the world where things can change if the neighbours simply "wake up in a bad mood".
The ties between the US and India have been tense since last year. With Trump's policies on tariffs, restrictions on H-1B visas, and crackdown on immigrants within the US, the situation has been volatile. However, the US President has time and again emphasised that he admires Prime Minister Narendra Modi, even saying last week that the latter is one of his favourite world leaders.
India and the US are also in the middle of a trade deal agreement signing. In February, the two nations agreed on the legal framework of the agreement, but the final pact is yet to be signed.
Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna slammed US President Donald Trump for his "utterly destructive policies", going on to say that under Trump, the US-India relationship is at its "lowest in 30 years". Ro Khanna's remarks, made at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum Leadership Summit in Washington, were in stark contrast to US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor who, at the very same event, expressed optimism, saying that the friendship between India and the US will stand the test of time.
Recalling a recent China visit, Khanna said that the Indian envoy there told him that a "generation of trust" has been lost due to Trump's policies. "Now, you know I'm not one to mince words. I sort of tell things as they are. The US-India relationship has been at its lowest point in the last 30 years," the California Democrat said during his speech.
"Trump's policies of getting into a war with Iran have been utterly destructive. It has been utterly destructive to the prices of gas in India. Talk to (External Affairs Minister S) Jaishankar if you don't believe me," Khanna further said, adding that the truth about the damage that Trump has done needs to be spoken else "we are not living in reality".
Calling the 80-year-old a "lame duck", Khanna said that partnerships do not matter any more when the President is ruining the US's leadership in the entire world.
"The demagoguery about immigrants, the demagoguery of this President and talking about the lack of immigrants coming into the United States. How can we sit here and not condemn his policies on what he has done with student visas, with the demonisation of talent coming to the United States," he further said.
Mocking Trump's remarks on the US being the frontrunner in AI, the Congressman said, "38 per cent of the top AI researchers are of Chinese origin. 72 per cent have foreign degrees. This is a President who doesn't understand that we need to be recruiting talent, not turning talent away."
WHAT SERGIO GOR SAID
Meanwhile, Sergio Gor expressed confidence about ties between the US and India remaining intact. He has emphasised that no matter the chatter around, Washington and New Delhi's friendship will continue to bloom. The US envoy said that an Indian Minister told him that the relationship between the two nations will remain solid even after 50 years.
"I was with a minister in New Delhi a couple of weeks ago, and he said to me, he said, 'No matter what you hear in the news, 50 years from now, our two countries will still be friends. You're the world's oldest democracy, we're the world's largest democracy.' And the second part that he added to that is, 'We have the same principles when it comes to democracy, which include robust opposition, by the way'. Not every nation has that," Gor said.
He stressed that courtesy multiple commonalities between Washington and Delhi, their relationship will always be sustainable. Gor, however, threw shade at India's neighbours – without taking any name – by saying that the country is located in a tough part of the world where things can change if the neighbours simply "wake up in a bad mood".
The ties between the US and India have been tense since last year. With Trump's policies on tariffs, restrictions on H-1B visas, and crackdown on immigrants within the US, the situation has been volatile. However, the US President has time and again emphasised that he admires Prime Minister Narendra Modi, even saying last week that the latter is one of his favourite world leaders.
India and the US are also in the middle of a trade deal agreement signing. In February, the two nations agreed on the legal framework of the agreement, but the final pact is yet to be signed.
