"A very welcome development... reflects a lowering of temperature on the US side," says Former Indian Ambassador Jawed Ashraf

New Delhi [India], September 6 : Former Ambassador of India to France and Monaco Jawed Ashraf called the recent exchange of positive gestures between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi a welcome development, reflecting a "lowering of temperature" on the American side.

"I think it is a very welcome development. It reflects, you know, a lowering of temperature on the US side. Of course, you know, President Trump has been and his cabinet colleagues, as well as his advisers, have been using very disparaging tone and some very corrosive language on almost a daily basis, besides the punitive tariffs that they have imposed," Ashraf said in an interview with ANI.

Despite Trump's frequent use of aggressive language, Ashraf noted that he had always been careful in his remarks about Modi. "President Trump has always been very careful about, Prime Minister Modi, that even in that heat of the moment or when he was using his most aggressive and corrosive language, he was careful to say, that, Prime Minister Modi is great, he's special. And I think he's reciprocated, he has reaffirmed that today. But he's also said something nice about the relationship, that it is a special relationship, and we needn't worry about it. And I think that is a positive development," he said.

According to Ashraf, Trump's latest remarks also avoided earlier references to India-Pakistan tensions. "In addition to this, the last few times references to the cessation of India Pakistan conflict, or to the arrogation of credit for it has been missing. The focus has been essentially on Russian oil purchases by India as the source of the difference. So I think there has been a gradual softening of the tone today. We've seen something that was positive. And I think we must still be cautiously optimistic about it because this is a first step," he said.

He cautioned, however, against over-reading Trump's words. "One, President Trump is often prone to changing his views and that also on social media. Pretty frequently, he can, swing widely from appreciation to criticism. You've seen that in the case of Russia, you've seen that in Ukraine, even some of his closest allies, Europe, for example. So I think that is something we need to bear in mind. This is a step forward. Second, we still have to recognize that, there is tariffs in place even as we speak and that needs to be factored into this because the real test will come when we deal with this very strong issue," Ashraf added.

Highlighting India's approach, he said New Delhi had remained measured throughout the strained phase in ties. "Remember on our side, on the Indian side, throughout this very difficult period, we have been factual and restrained in our comments. We have been ready, always indicated openness, flexibility, and willingness for negotiations to address the issues while being consistent, transparent and principled about our red lines, whether it pertains to our trade issues or whether it is about our sovereign choices with regard to the relationships that we have with other countries," he said.

Ashraf stressed that Modi had reciprocated Trump's remarks in a "restrained but positive manner." "The Prime Minister has rightly reciprocated what President Trump has said and has done that also remember in a very restrained but a positive manner. It is indicative of the fact that there is no quarrel on our side. That is really for the United States to resolve this," he said.

Explaining what might have prompted Trump's change in tone, Ashraf pointed to both internal US concerns and global optics. He referred to the viral photo of Modi, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin in a huddle in Tianjin, which he said "raised a lot of concern across the media, across the political establishment, in the US Congress and among the experts about the fact that US might be losing India and that the relationship that has been so strenuously built over the past 25 years may be collapsing."

At the same time, he underlined that Washington was beginning to recognise New Delhi's firm stance. "There is also a recognition in the United States that India and this administration, that India is not the country and this government is not going to compromise on its core interests under relentless U.S. pressure or that it is going to in some way bend or submit to the U.S. demands in a way that compromises our national interests. Once that recognition sets in, I think there will be a far more sober approach to us," Ashraf said.

He added that India had already made an "ambitious offer" on trade and stood by its commitments. "We have made an ambitious offer to the U.S. on trade and you know there we still stand by our commitments in February 2025 when the Prime Minister visited the United States. So it is really for the US to resolve some of its own internal contradictions with regard to how it wants to deal with India," he said.

On whether Trump's softer words were driven by domestic pressures or China's influence, Ashraf said: "The last few weeks, despite grave concerns here about the collapse of the India-US relations, the language, the tone in which, President Trump and others were speaking... that India may follow on the same path (as other allies). But we have, in a sense, held firm about our red lines, about our interests. But at the same time, we've not been confrontational. We have not tried to use any assertive or acerbic language with the US. We've always indicated our willingness to negotiate. So I think there is a realization dawning in this government also. And it is a new government with a new set of people that India is a partner, but not an ally that it can order around."

Ashraf also hoped that other senior US officials would take a cue from Trump. "I hope they take the cue from the President and start toning it down because, you know, their Commerce Secretary was speaking a very, very tough language. But I think, again, he's one of those who has not dealt with India in the past. This lack of experience in dealing with India at the start of this administration with many people who have no prior experience in this country or having dealt with us, believe that we will respond in the same way as, let's say, some of the European or other Asian allies or partners have done, and that they're soon going to realize that's not the way India works and certainly not the way this government is going to respond to any amount of pressure when it comes to protecting the national interest, interest of its sensitive sectors and the sovereign choices we always exercise in terms of our relationship with other countries," he said.

On suggestions of a "good cop, bad cop" strategy from Washington, Ashraf said, "Well, that's what I'm trying to say that, you know, these are early days. We still have to wait and watch. But, we have seen in this statement and some of the statements that have been made in the past few days are definite lowering of temperature, of moderation of voice and temperate, more temperate language or less in temperate language being used. And we take that as a positive sign. But we still are conscious of the fact that the reality on the ground is that there is still a 50 percent tariff rate."

He emphasised that despite the softer words, "nothing has actually changed. It's just a statement basically." He reiterated that India would not accept third-party mediation on India-Pakistan issues, reminding that "India has always rejected third party mediation or role in any relationship or any issue between India and Pakistan."

On Modi's prompt response to Trump's tweet, Ashraf said, "That's a very good gesture. I mean, again, what we are showing is that we don't have any issues with the United States in terms of, I mean, throughout this period, we have not had any confrontational tone. We've not spoken in aggressive language. We have not joined a war of words from the government. We have acted with restraint and calmness. We have repeatedly affirmed the importance of the strategic partnership while emphasizing that our partnership will be conducted taking into account our national interests."

Concluding on a measured note, he said, "And so when President Trump sends out a message, which is both a personal message to the Prime Minister and a broader statement about the special relationship, I mean, from a dead economy to a special relationship, without again bringing in the India-Pakistan issue. It is good of us and it is I think the correct thing to do is to reciprocate that. But this is again, the statement is not sort of very euphoric. It doesn't go for the top. It is calm. It is measured. It recognizes the positive and constructive partnership of India and the United States and it says that we are willing to move forward."

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