Last Updated:
The visiting delegation of Democrats expressed concerns about President Trump’s conduct
Tharoor mentioned that the visiting US lawmakers are friends of India and well-disposed towards the country. File pic/PTI
A visiting US delegation of five members interacted with Indian MPs across party lines in the standing committee of external affairs, chaired by Dr Shashi Tharoor. During the meeting, the Democrats were highly critical of US President Donald Trump’s policy changes. Sources reveal that in response to questions from members of parliament about policy changes concerning the H-1B visa, the 50% tariff imposed on India, and a constant presence by the US president, the visiting delegation expressed concerns about President Trump’s conduct. They also urged Indian MPs to encourage the Indian diaspora to voice their opposition to such policies.
Recommended Stories
After the meeting, committee chairman Tharoor told the media, “I do want to stress that one of the points we raised is why the Indian-American diaspora has been so silent about all this. One of the Congressmen said not one phone call has come to her office from any Indian-American voter asking her to support a change of policy. This is something that is surprising.”
He added, “We all need to reach out to the Indian-American population, saying if you care about your relationship with the motherland, then you also have to fight for it and speak for it, and make more of an effort to press your political representative to stand up for India.”
He mentioned that the visiting US lawmakers are friends of India and well-disposed towards the country.
The issue of the US sanctions waiver for Iran’s Chabahar Port, being developed by India, was also discussed during the meeting today.
The visa issue was particularly raised by opposition leaders from the Samajwadi Party. Ballia MP Sanatan Pandey and Firozabad MP Akshay Yadav also brought up the matter, which affects many Indians. “Sanatan Pandey and I met with the visiting delegation led by Amerish Bera. We told them that we are the third-largest party in India and our leader (Akhilesh Yadav) has always supported good India-US relations. As far as H-1B visas and tariffs are concerned, they should be resolved at the earliest. As a party that prioritises people, it is our duty to ensure jobs for everyone, which is what socialist parties like us keep at the forefront,” Akshay Yadav told CNN-News18 exclusively.
India has had a great relationship with the US and vice versa, but over the last few months, it has become strained due to some unfavourable announcements by President Trump, officials said. Members of the visiting delegation argued that India and the US have a deep relationship that goes back several decades. However, the current situation is due to the “whims and fancies” of one man, they told the Indian MPs. The visiting Democrats also conveyed that the average American still believes in maintaining excellent relations with India and sees it as a strong country. They expressed confidence that the tides will turn even before the midterm elections.
Regarding Donald Trump’s constant attention to the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, which India has consistently maintained was purely a bilateral decision, Congress Rajya Sabha member Rajeev Shukla criticised Trump for hosting Pakistan Army General Asim Munir. Shukla argued that even the state-to-state protocol wasn’t maintained, and hosting an army chief for lunch with President Trump doesn’t bode well for any country, let alone India.
Sources aware of the developments said that in the meeting, every member of parliament, whether from the ruling side or the opposition, spoke in unison like Team India and called out the US for trying to corner India. The visiting Americans also noted that Donald Trump has been facing significant pushback from his administration for his repeated attempts to nudge India.
This interesting meeting and development come at a time when India’s foreign affairs minister, S Jaishankar, and India’s commerce minister, Piyush Goyal, are both in the United States.
Just last week, a round of meetings between US negotiators and their Indian counterparts took place, moving in a positive direction, sources indicated.
Members of the visiting delegation from the Democratic Party included Amerish Babulal Bera, a member of the United States House of Representatives from California since 2013, James Varni Panetta, also a representative from California, Salud Ortiz Carbajal, Duc Truyen Tran, both from California, and Julie Elizabeth Johnson from Texas.
Apart from Dr Shashi Tharoor, other members of the standing committee present included Rajeev Shukla from the Congress, Sagarika Ghosh from TMC, Arvind Sawant from Shiv Sena (UBT), and Sanatan Pandey and Akshay Yadav from the Samajwadi Party. BJP MPs present included Sudhanshu Trivedi, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Aparajita Sarangi, and Bansuri Swaraj, among others.
In the first half of the meeting, there was a detailed discussion about India-Sri Lanka relations, during which India’s foreign secretary, Vikram Misri, briefed the committee.
September 24, 2025, 12:20 IST
Loading comments…
Read More
