India on Friday slammed White House Trade Advisor Peter Navarro for his recent remarks, and called his statements 'inaccurate and misleading'. Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal also called the relationship between India and the United States 'important' for the central government, saying both countries share a 'comprehensive and global strategic partnership'.
"Both countries share a comprehensive, global strategic partnership, which is anchored in a shared interest, democratic values and robust people-to-people ties. This partnership has weathered several transitions and challenges," said Jaiswal. "We remain focused on the substantive agenda that our two countries have committed to, and we hope that the relationship will continue to move forward based on mutual respect and shared interests."
Navarro, known for his closeness with US President Donald Trump, has been critical of India for buying Russian crude, a move he has alleged is fueling the Ukraine conflict. He has also claimed that India is selling Russian oil in the markets of Europe, Africa and Asia, making a huge profit. In one of his remarks, he also claimed that only Brahmins are 'profiteering' in India because of the Russian oil purchase, and the Indians need to 'stop' this.
Expansion of SCO going on: MEA
During the press conference, Jaiswal was also asked about Azerbaijan claiming that India blocked its full membership Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). He replied that the expansion of the SCO is an ongoing process, while adding that both Armenia and Azerbaijan submitted their membership applications this year.
"Due to time constraint, a decision on the issue could not be taken by Member States in Tianjin. The matter continues to be under consideration by the group," he noted.
Notably, the SCO Summit was heled in China's Tiajin earlier this week, which was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During the SCO Summit, PM Modi also held bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
