Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed US President Donald Trump’s statement about being “always be friends,” indicating that he “fully echoes his sentiments” even though relations between their nations have been tense due to tariffs.
“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,” PM Modi wrote on X.
Trump’s remarks followed the implementation of a 50% tariff on Indian products, which he justified by referencing India’s ongoing purchases of Russian oil.
“I’ll always be friends with PM Modi. He’s a great Prime Minister. I’ll always be friends, but I just don’t like what he is doing at this particular moment. But India and the United States have a very special relationship. There is nothing to worry about. We just have moments on occasion,” Trump said.
India and US ties had strained in recent weeks after the Trump administration imposed secondary tariffs on India for buying Russian oil. The US tariffs on Indian exports now stand above 50 per cent – the highest tariff Trump has imposed as per his fresh list, apart from Brazil. India had condemned the move, calling it “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable”.
PM Modi, who attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in China’s Tianjin, shared bonhomie with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin amid their own strained ties with the US. The three leaders were seen shaking hands, hugging each other, and smiling in videos and pictures. PM Modi also shared photos of himself with the two leaders – showcasing their unity amid Trump’s high tariffs on India.
Additionally, Trump’s assertion that the US has “lost India to China” generated controversy, although he subsequently clarified that he does not believe this to be true.
“I don’t think we have (lost India). I’ve been very disappointed that India would be buying so much oil from Russia. I let them know that. We put a very big tariff on India- 50 per cent, a very high tariff. I get along very well with PM Modi, as you know. He was here a couple of months ago, in fact, we went to the Rose Garden and had a press conference,” he told the media.
