In a roundtable hosted by a newspaper on Friday, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar challenged US President Joe Biden’s assertion that “xenophobia” was hindering India’s economic growth. Jaishankar emphasized that India’s economy is not struggling and that the country has always been very welcoming. He pointed to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) as an example of India’s openness to people in need of refuge and those seeking citizenship.
The US President’s accusation of xenophobia directed at China, Japan, and India was met with criticism from both Japan and India. Japan expressed disappointment over Biden’s comments, suggesting that his remarks were misguided and not based on an accurate understanding of Japan’s policy positions. Similarly, India rejected this characterization, stating that it did not accurately reflect the country’s policies.
Recently, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasted a slowdown in economic growth in Asia’s three largest economies in 2024. However, the US economy is expected to grow due to migrants expanding the country’s labor force. The role of immigration in economic growth has sparked debate and criticism worldwide following Biden’s comments on this matter.
Jaishankar stressed that India had historically been very open to immigrants and refugees, pointing out the CAA as evidence of this openness. He argued that the law was necessary for maintaining order in a diverse nation while also providing protection to people who needed it most.
Biden’s statement accusing China, Japan, and India of xenophobia was met with criticism from various countries around the world. Many saw his comments as misguided and not based on an accurate understanding of each country’s policies.
The IMF recently predicted a slowdown in economic growth in Asia’s three largest economies in 2024. However, despite this projection, the US economy is expected to grow due to migrants expanding its labor force.
In conclusion, Jaishankar emphasized that India had historically been very welcoming to immigrants and refugees. He pointed out the CAA as evidence of this openness while also arguing that it was necessary for maintaining order in a diverse nation while providing protection to those who needed it most.
