Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday publicly acknowledged and welcomed US President Donald Trump’s recent remarks on India-US relations, stating that he “deeply appreciates” and “fully reciprocates” Trump’s positive assessment of bilateral ties.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), PM Modi reaffirmed that India and the United States share a “very positive and forward-looking comprehensive global strategic partnership.” This marks his first public statement on ties with Trump since Washington imposed additional tariffs on Indian imports — a move that strained the economic relationship between the two nations.
Trump’s Comments on India
On Friday, President Trump told reporters at the White House that he will “always be friends with Modi,” calling him a “great prime minister.” However, Trump also expressed displeasure at India’s current trade decisions, particularly its energy ties with Russia.
“I’ll always be friends with Modi. He’s a great prime minister. He’s great. But I just don’t like what he’s doing at this particular moment. India and the United States have a special relationship. There’s nothing to worry about — we just have moments on occasion,” Trump said.
Trump has recently imposed 50% tariffs on Indian imports — including an additional 25% duty citing India’s continued purchase of Russian oil. This has led to heightened tensions, with India calling the US move “unjustified” and accusing Washington of unfairly targeting it for maintaining trade with Moscow.
Geopolitical Context
Trump’s remarks came days after PM Modi attended a high-profile Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian Premier Vladimir Putin — a development that drew significant international attention.
On his Truth Social account, Trump expressed concern over India’s growing closeness with China and Russia, writing:
“Looks like we have lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!”
India, however, declined to officially respond to this statement, with government sources maintaining that New Delhi remains committed to balancing its strategic partnerships with major global powers.
