Paris Climate Accord: Sushma Swaraj denies Donald Trump's claims

She firmly rejected US President Donald Trump's claims against India over the Paris Accord.

"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," Swaraj was quoted as saying to the media.

In a major development, US President Donald Trump recently announced his nation will withdraw from the 2015 Paris climate agreement.

" Therefore, in order to fulfill my solemn duty to protect America and its citizens, the United States will withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord -- (applause) -- thank you, thank you -- but begin negotiations to reenter either the Paris Accord or a really entirely new transaction on terms that are fair to the United States, its businesses, its workers, its people, its taxpayers," Trump said.

Trump said moves to negotiate a new 'fair' deal would begin.

"So we’re getting out.  But we will start to negotiate, and we will see if we can make a deal that’s fair.  And if we can, that’s great.  And if we can’t, that’s fine," he said.

Trump alleged that the agreement provided better deal to "some of the world's highly polluting countries" like India and China.

"Not only does this deal subject our citizens to harsh economic restrictions, it fails to live up to our environmental ideals.  As someone who cares deeply about the environment, which I do, I cannot in good conscience support a deal that punishes the United States -- which is what it does -– the world’s leader in environmental protection, while imposing no meaningful obligations on the world’s leading polluters," he said.

Trump said: "For example, under the agreement, China will be able to increase these emissions by a staggering number of years -- 13.  They can do whatever they want for 13 years.  Not us.  India makes its participation contingent on receiving billions and billions and billions of dollars in foreign aid from developed countries.  There are many other examples.  But the bottom line is that the Paris Accord is very unfair, at the highest level, to the United States."

He said: "China will be allowed to build hundreds of additional coal plants.  So we can’t build the plants, but they can, according to this agreement.  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.  Even Europe is allowed to continue construction of coal plants."