File picture of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar
| Photo Credit: PTI

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar rejected U.S. President Joe Biden’s comment that “xenophobia” was hobbling the South Asian nation’s economic growth, reported on Saturday.

Mr. Jaishankar said at a round table hosted by The Economic Times on Friday that India’s economy “is not faltering” and that it has historically been a society that is very open.

“That’s why we have the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act), which is to open up doors for people who are in trouble… I think we should be open to people who have the need to come to India, who have a claim to come to India,” Mr. Jaishankar said, referring to a recent law that allows immigrants who have fled persecution from neighbouring countries to become citizens.

Earlier this week, Mr. Biden had said “xenophobia” in China, Japan and India was holding back growth in the respective economies as he argued migration has been good for the U.S. economy.

“One of the reasons why our economy’s growing is because of you and many others. Why? Because we welcome immigrants,” Mr. Biden said at a fundraising event for his 2024 re-election campaign and marking the start of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecast last month that growth in Asia’s three largest economies would slow in 2024 from the previous year.

The IMF also forecast that the U.S. economy would grow 2.7%, slightly brisker than its 2.5% rate last year. Many economists attribute the upbeat forecasts partly to migrants expanding the country’s labour force.

US President Joe Biden recently came under fire for calling India, Japan, Russia, and China “xenophobic” nations while talking about the US’ reputation for welcoming immigrants. Now that has led many to ask what exactly “xenophobia” means.

What is xenophobia?

Xenophobia means to have a fear of or hate people from other cultures or countries. It often stems from not understanding or being unfamiliar with those who are “different”. This fear can lead to discrimination or even hostility towards those perceived as “outsiders”. Xenophobia may cause divisions and prevent people from getting along. 

What did Joe Biden say?

Speaking at a Democratic Party fundraiser, the President said that a major reason the US economy was growing was “because we welcome immigrants.” The 81-year-old Democratic contender further stated that China, Japan, Russia, and India were not faring well economically “because they are xenophobic. They don’t want immigrants.”

Mr Biden claimed that “immigrants are what makes us strong,” adding, “We have an influx of workers who want to be here and want to contribute.”

White House Defends His Remark

The White House has defended President Joe Biden’s remarks, clarifying that he was “making a broad point” about the importance of immigrants in strengthening a country. 

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that India and Japan have strong relations with the US and said, “Our allies and partners know very well how much the President respects them. If you just look at the last three years, (the President) has certainly focused on those diplomatic relationships.”

She added that the President is always going to be really clear on speaking to issues that matter to the American people, further claiming “We are a country of immigrants. That matters. And we’ve seen these attacks. And so, the President is never going to shy away from that.” 

Joe Biden hosted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a state visit last year, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited the White House in April.