US pulling out of Paris climate accord 'shocking': Rajnath

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on 6 June said that United States pulling out of Paris climate accord had come as a shock for India.

He hoped that Washington will rethink its decision.

While inaugurating a two-day national level conference on 'Capacity Building of State Disaster Response Force-2017', Singh said it was cause of concern for India and the world community if a country thinks only about its own interests.

"U.S. President's statements on Paris climate accord were shocking. I hope USA will rethink over this decision. It has to be seen in what circumstances the U.S. President made the statement on the Paris accord," he added.

United States President Donald Trump had claimed that India signed the Paris climate agreement to get "billions and billions and billions of dollars in foreign aid", which earned him criticisms from India.

However, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj rejected Trump's comment and asserted that India has signed Paris climate pact not because of pressure from any country or due to the lure of money.

Trump withdrew the United States from the 2015 agreement to cut emissions saying it undermined the country's economy, cost US jobs, and put it at a disadvantage to other nations.

-ANI