Shashi Tharoor, the Congress MP and chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on foreign affairs, told reporters at the NDTV World Summit that India’s rise on the global stage is now shadowed by exposed vulnerabilities.
He cited the 2025 border skirmish with China, where Beijing supplied Pakistan with weapons and satellite data that India described as a hostile act, highlighting how such incidents undermine India’s security posture.
Tharoor warned that while India’s imports from China have climbed, the trade deficit has widened to ₹4,200 crore, creating a dependence on a partner whose interests are “not particularly well‑disposed” toward India.
He also pointed to President Donald Trump’s sudden imposition of 50 percent tariffs last year as an example of diplomatic unpredictability, arguing that India’s close ties with some nations have alienated others.
A small textile exporter in Ahmedabad told reporters that the deficit has forced her to source costly alternatives, illustrating the human cost of the trade imbalance. Tharoor concluded by urging policymakers to reassess India’s strategic ties with China and the U.S. ahead of the next UN General Assembly.