'India Open And Welcoming': Jaishankar Rejects US President Biden's 'Xenophobic' Remarks

‘india open and welcoming’: s jaishankar rejects us president joe biden’s ‘xenophobic’ remarks

New Delhi: External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Friday said that “India is open and welcoming nation” as he rejected US President Joe Biden’s ‘xenophobic’ remarks against the country. The reaction came after Biden, at an election fundraiser on Thursday, clubbed India with Japan, China, and Russia, and used the term ‘xenophobic’ to describe these countries.

“I would say actually, in the history of the world, that it’s been a society which has been very open … different people from different societies come to India,” Jaishankar told The Economic Times.

He also cited the Modi government’s implementation of CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) to prove his point. “That’s why we have the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act), which is to open up doors for people who are in trouble… I think we should be open to people who have the need to come to India, who have a claim to come to India,” he said

US President Joe Biden had recently claimed that India and Japan as well as Russia and China “xenophobic” nations, asserting that none of these countries, unlike the U.S., welcome immigrants.

The United States is a country of immigrants, the White House has said, defending President Joe Biden’s remarks at an election fundraiser on May 2.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that the president was making a “broader point”.

“He was making a broader point. Our allies and partners know very well that — how much this president respects them,” Jean-Pierre told reporters at her daily news conference on Thursday.