'Better To Be Recalcitrant Than...': Shashi Tharoor Rips Apart US Treasury Secretary For Threatening India With Additional Tariffs

Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor has strongly hit out at US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent over his recent comments warning that the Trump administration is prepared to escalate measures against India, depending on the outcome of Friday's meeting.

Speaking to Bloomberg TV on Wednesday, Bessent had said, "We've put secondary tariffs on Indians for buying Russian oil. And I could see, if things don't go well, then sanctions or secondary tariffs could go up."

In response to these remarks, Tharoor took to X without naming anyone specifically, writing, "I hear some people are accusing India of being 'recalcitrant'. I say, far better to be recalcitrant than to be tractable, submissive or acquiescent to injustice."

Tharoor's pointed response came after Bessent described India as "a bit recalcitrant" in recent trade discussions during a Fox News interview.

The tensions stem from US President Donald Trump's earlier decision to impose a 25% tariff on India, followed by an additional 25% penalty over New Delhi's continued purchase of Russian oil despite American objections.

Washington has accused India of indirectly funding Moscow's war in Ukraine through its ongoing imports of Russian crude.

These allegations have led to the suspension of trade deal negotiations between the two nations.