NEW DELHI– Congress MP and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs Shashi Tharoor said Monday that Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has emphasized the “very important” nature of India’s relationship with the United States, noting that the partnership extends well beyond trade into multiple areas of engagement.
Tharoor made the remarks following a three-hour committee meeting in which 22 members engaged with the Foreign Secretary and the Commerce Secretary on key issues in India’s foreign policy, particularly ongoing U.S.-India trade negotiations and tariffs.
“I think the 22 members asked over 50 questions to the Foreign Secretary and the Commerce Secretary,” Tharoor told reporters after the meeting. “Our Foreign Secretary mentioned that ties with America are quite important, and trade is just one aspect. Several other matters are being discussed between both countries. It was explained to us in detail, and all clarifications sought by members were provided.”
Tharoor also criticized Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir for controversial remarks about India during his recent trip to the United States.
“The question of General Munir’s statement on American soil was raised, and concern was expressed over the misuse of a friendly country’s territory to speak about us in this way,” Tharoor said. “At the same time, nuclear sabre-rattling is something the Pakistanis like to do. The Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement just as our meeting began, dismissing such rhetoric. The committee shares the same view — we will not allow this kind of nonsense to influence our thinking. Nuclear blackmail will not work with India, and no party or representative disagrees with that principle.”
During his U.S. visit, Munir reportedly warned that Pakistan would never allow India to choke the Indus River and would defend its water rights at all costs, even if that meant destroying any dam India sought to build.
“We will wait for India to build a dam, and when they do, we will destroy it,” Munir was quoted as saying by Pakistani daily Dawn at an event hosted by the Pakistani-American community in Tampa, Florida. “The Indus River is not the Indians’ family property. We have no shortage of resources to undo Indian designs to stop the river.”
Earlier Monday, India strongly condemned Munir’s remarks.
“Our attention has been drawn to remarks reportedly made by the Pakistani Chief of Army Staff while on a visit to the United States. Nuclear sabre-rattling is Pakistan’s stock-in-trade,” said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). “The international community can draw its own conclusions on the irresponsibility inherent in such remarks, which also reinforce well-held doubts about the integrity of nuclear command and control in a state where the military is hand-in-glove with terrorist groups.”
The MEA also noted the inappropriateness of making such statements from “the soil of a friendly third country” and reiterated that India “will not give in to nuclear blackmail” and will “continue to take all steps necessary to safeguard our national security.”
According to Pakistani media, Munir visited two U.S. cities over the weekend before traveling to Belgium on Sunday, marking his second high-profile trip to the United States in less than two months. (Source: IANS)
