Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said the US ties with Pakistan are separate from its relationship with India, a position he said India also endorses.
While speaking of recent praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi by Donald Trump, Tharoor said the US President is conveying a message of “friendship and warmth” towards India.
Tharoor added that India had conveyed to world leaders several years ago that any visit to New Delhi should be strictly bilateral and not combined with a visit to Pakistan.
He further noted that while Trump often praises Pakistan and its leaders, he also does not hesitate to speak positively about India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“We stopped that hyphenation business about 30 years ago by telling world leaders that when you’re coming to India, please don’t come via Pakistan. When you come to India, make it a bilateral visit. And now what Mr. Trump seems to be signaling is the same thing,” he said.
Tharoor stressed that it is a reality India will have to get used to—that countries can maintain good relations with multiple partners at the same time.
“And why can’t we have good relations with both? It’s a proposition we have to get used to,” he said, pointing out that India does not seek America’s approval when it engages with countries like China or Russia.
