India, Aug. 4 -- Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has said that former US President Donald Trump's description of India as a "dead economy" was intended as an "insult" and should not be interpreted "literally".

Speaking in Pune on Sunday during a conversation with Crossword CEO Aakash Gupta, Tharoor said India must remain clear-eyed about its national interests, especially at a time when global powers are contributing to instability rather than order.

The senior Congress leader addressed a range of subjects during the discussion, including his latest book, The Living Constitution.

Trump had last week referred to India as a "dead economy", hours after announcing a 25 per cent tariff on Indian imports and hinting at additional penalties for In...