India has strongly condemned a controversial remark describing the country as a hellhole, which was shared by United States President Donald Trump on his social media platform. Officials said the comment was inappropriate and inconsistent with the longstanding relationship between the two nations.
The statement originally came from conservative radio host Michael Savage, who made the remark while criticising birthright citizenship policies in the United States. Although Trump did not author the comment himself, his decision to repost it without clarification sparked widespread criticism.
Responding to the issue, India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the remark as obviously uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste. He stressed that such statements do not reflect the reality of India-US relations, which are built on mutual respect and shared interests.
The United States Embassy in New Delhi also sought to downplay the controversy, reiterating that the president has previously described India as a great country and highlighted his friendly ties with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
India’s main opposition party, the Indian National Congress, strongly criticised the remark, calling it “extremely insulting and anti-India.” The party urged Prime Minister Modi to raise the issue directly with the US leadership and register a formal objection.
The controversy has also drawn attention due to the large Indian-origin population in the United States. Government data indicates that nearly 5.5 million people of Indian origin live in the country, making them one of the largest immigrant communities.
This incident is part of a broader pattern of controversial statements linked to Trump. He has previously faced criticism for remarks about foreign nations and immigrant groups, including referring to Somali immigrants with derogatory language. In 2018, he sparked global outrage after using offensive terms to describe countries such as El Salvador, Haiti and several African nations.
Despite the controversy, India and the United States continue to engage on key economic issues. After tensions rose over high tariffs imposed last year, many of which have since been rolled back, both sides are now working toward a trade agreement aimed at preventing future disputes and expanding bilateral commerce.
While diplomatic engagement continues, the episode highlights how political rhetoric can strain international relationships and provoke strong reactions across governments and communities.
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