PM Modi Called ‘Great PM’ By President Trump; Prime Minister Reciprocates Appreciation

US President Donald Trump appeared to backtrack from his earlier comment about ‘losing’ India to China.

At a White House press conference on Friday, Trump called PM Narendra Modi a ‘great Prime Minister’ and said, “I’ll always be friends with Prime Minister Modi.”

PM Modi Reciprocates Praise

Indian PM Modi responded on Saturday via his X account, stating, “Deeply appreciate and fully reciprocate President Trump’s sentiments and positive assessment of our ties. India and the US have a very positive and forward-looking Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership.”

President Trump added that while he gets along well with PM Modi, he expressed disappointment over India’s purchase of Russian oil.

“I’ve been very disappointed that India would be buying so much oil, as you know, from Russia, and let them know that we put a very big tariff on India, 50 per cent tariff, very hot tariff,” he noted.

President Trump’s Earlier Social Media Remarks

Earlier on Friday, Trump posted a photo of PM Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Truth Social, writing, “Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!”

Trump’s administration intensified its rhetoric against India. White House Advisor Peter Navarro accused India on X of imposing high tariffs that ‘cost US jobs’.

Trump aide Laura Loomer claimed the administration was ‘considering blocking US IT companies from outsourcing to Indian companies’, though she provided no evidence.

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, in an interview with Bloomberg, signalled preconditions for India, urging the country to stop buying Russian oil and reconsider its role in BRICS. He warned that failure to comply could trigger a 50 per cent tariff.