New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday responded for the first time to recent remarks by former US President Donald Trump, saying he “deeply appreciates and fully reciprocates” Trump’s “positive assessment” of India-US ties. Calling the bilateral relationship “very positive and forward-looking,” PM Modi posted on X that India and the United States share a Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership.
His remarks came hours after Trump softened his tone towards New Delhi, saying he “will always be friends with Modi” and emphasising that the two nations have a “special relationship.” This was a notable shift from his earlier criticism, including a claim that the US had “lost India to China,” which he made on Truth Social earlier this week.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Friday, Trump clarified that there was “nothing to worry about” regarding India-US ties despite recent tensions over tariffs and India’s continued purchase of Russian oil. “I get along very well with Modi. He is a great Prime Minister… I just don’t like what he is doing at this particular moment, but India and the United States have a special relationship,” Trump said.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar welcomed the exchange, saying that PM Modi “attaches enormous importance” to the India-US partnership and enjoys a good personal rapport with Trump. He added that New Delhi “remains engaged” with Washington on all relevant issues.
Relations between India and the US have been strained in recent weeks after Trump’s administration imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods and criticised New Delhi’s purchase of Russian crude, accusing it of fueling Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Trump also repeatedly took credit for the India-Pakistan ceasefire in May, despite PM Modi’s statement in Parliament that no foreign leader influenced India’s decision to end Operation Sindoor.
Trump’s softened stance comes days after PM Modi’s visit to China, his first in seven years, to attend the SCO Summit. Modi met with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the event, holding bilateral talks and sharing lighter moments that were widely reported by international media.
