Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has rejected US President Joe Biden's characterisation of India as one of the "xenophobic" countries and as one of those facing economic problems.
"First of all, our economy is not in crisis. India has always been a very unique country... I would say that in the history of the world it has been a very open society. Different people from different societies come to India," the minister said at a roundtable organised by the Economic Times.
He said the incumbent Narendra Modi government was facilitating such a welcome.
"That's why we have the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Bill), which is meant to open doors for people in trouble... I think we should be open to people who need to come to India, who have the right to come to India," Jaishankar added.
US President Joe Biden, during a speech at a campaign event in Washington on 1 May, compared Japan and India to China and Russia, arguing that the four economic powers are struggling because of their reluctance to accept immigrants. White House national security spokesman John Kirby later said Biden was making a broader point about the U.S. position on immigration.