(Bloomberg) — India has criticized an article shared by US President Donald Trump on social media that termed the South Asian nation a “hellhole,” straining ties that were improving after a year of tensions over tariffs and geopolitical differences.

Trump’s Truth Social posted the transcript of a talk-show that argued against US birthright citizenship and accused immigrants from countries like India and China of exploiting the provision. It also alleged that Indians in the US technology companies did not hire white Americans.

“The remarks are obviously uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste,” Randhir Jaiswal, a spokesman for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, said in a statement posted on X. “They certainly do not reflect the reality of India-US relationship, which has long been based on mutual respect and shared interests.”

The remarks came at a time when Washington DC and New Delhi were working to reset strained ties with talks ongoing to finalize a trade deal and a scheduled visit by Secretary of State Marco Rubio next month.

Over the past year, India-US relations have remained uneven, initially due to punitive tariffs and then President Trump’s closer ties with Pakistan. Trump’s repeated claims that he brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan during a four-day armed conflict last year also didn’t help bilateral relations. New Delhi has denied assertions of any third-party mediation.

Trump has made immigration a major issue and came out with an an executive order in September that tightened rules, including a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas, citing a system abuse that undercut US wages and job opportunities. The visa category is widely used by technology companies working in US to hire largely software developers from India.