India rejects U.S. President’s allegation on Paris climate accord

NEW DELHI, June 5 (Xinhua) — India Monday firmly rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s allegation that it signed the Paris climate accord for financial gain.

“What Trump said is not the reality. We have signed the Paris accord not under any pressure nor for any money… to say we did it for money, I totally reject that,” Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj told the media in the national capital.

President Trump had last week named India among key reasons for his decision to pull out of the Paris Agreement, saying that New Delhi will be paid billions of dollars to meet its commitment to combatting climate change in the landmark deal struck to cut greenhouse gases and save the planet.

“India will be allowed to double its coal production by 2020. Think of it. India can double their coal production. We’re supposed to get rid of ours,” Trump said.

However, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to solar power has been commended by world powers. Modi has said that India will contribute half the world’s solar energy by 2020.