S Jaishankar hits back at Rahul Gandhi's 'Trump coronation' remark; says ‘His lies damage India’s standing abroad’

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has reacted sharply at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. He has dismissed Gandhi’s claim that the Indian government sent him to the US to secure an invitation for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend Donald Trump’s swearing-in ceremony. Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th US President was held on January 20 and Jaishankar attended the event as India’s representative.

S Jaishankar wrote on X, “Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi deliberately spoke a falsehood about my visit to the US in December 2024. I went to meet the Secretary of State and NSA of the Biden Administration. Also to chair a gathering of our Consuls General. During my stay, the incoming NSA-designate met with me.”He went on to add that such comments ‘damage India abroad’. “At no stage was an invitation in respect of the PM discussed. It is common knowledge that our PM does not attend such events. In fact, India is generally represented by Special Envoys. Rahul Gandhi’s lies may be intended politically. But they damage the nation abroad,” Jaishankar wrote.

In his parliament speech, Rahul Gandhi had said, “When we talk to the United States, we would not send the foreign minister three-four times to get an invite for our Prime Minister because if we had a production system and we were working on these technologies, the US president would come here and invite the Prime Minister.”