India and Japan expressed regret over comments made by U.S. President Joe Biden, in which he stated that the two U.S. allies suffer from "xenophobia," similar to their rivals China and Russia. Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar stated that Biden's remarks do not reflect reality, explaining in comments published Saturday by the "Economic Times" that "first of all, our economy is not struggling." He added, "India is a very unique country. In world history, it has been an open society. Different people from different communities come to India."
India is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, having recorded an 8.4% increase in GDP in the last quarter of the previous year, according to official figures. However, opponents of Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi accuse him of discrimination against Muslims through measures such as amending citizenship laws. The foreign minister asked, "Some have publicly stated that a million Muslims will lose their citizenship in the country. Why are they not held accountable? Because no one has lost their citizenship."
For its part, the Japanese government stated in a message on Saturday that "it is unfortunate that remarks have been made without a proper understanding of Japan's policies," affirming that Tokyo has communicated this message to the White House. Biden asserted that "xenophobia" is behind the economic difficulties faced by Japan and India, placing the two countries alongside competitors China and Russia as nations that reject immigrants. He noted, "Why is China struggling economically? Why is Japan having problems? Why is Russia having issues? And India? It is because these are countries afflicted by xenophobia." Biden, who is seeking re-election in November, made his remarks during a fundraising event for his campaign in Washington and to celebrate the beginning of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
