'Will always be friends with Modi': Trump calls India-US ties very special after 'lost to darkest China' remark

Trump Modi

United States President Donald Trump described India-US ties as a “very special relationship,” assuring that he would “always be friends” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

At the same time, he expressed displeasure over some of PM Modi’s “recent actions,” hinting at differences despite the overall warmth.

“I’ll always be friends with (Narendra) Modi… He’s a great prime minister. He’s great. But I just don’t like what he’s doing at this particular moment. But India and the United States have a special relationship. There’s nothing to worry about. We just have moments on occasion,” Trump said in the Oval Office on Friday.

#WATCH | Washington DC | Responding to ANI's question on resetting relations with India, US President Donald Trump says, "I always will, I will always be friends with Modi, he is a great Prime Minister, he is great... I just don't like what he is doing at this particular moment,… pic.twitter.com/gzMQZfzSor

— ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2025

This followed Trump’s post on Truth Social, where he shared a photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the summit, writing: “Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!”

Also read: 'Looks like we've lost India, Russia to China': Trump shares photo of Modi, Xi and Putin; MEA says 'no comments'

This follows the US raising tariffs on Indian goods to 50 percent, citing India’s trade dealings with Russia. Earlier, Washington had imposed 25 percent duties, which were later doubled due to India’s continued engagement with Russia.

On being asked to whom he blames for losing India to China in his post earlier on Friday, the US President said, "I don't think we have. I've been very disappointed that India would be buying so much oil from Russia. I let them know that."

#WATCH | Washington, DC | Responding to a question by ANI on his post on India, US President Donald Trump says, "I have been disappointed that India would be buying so much oil from Russia. And I let them know that, I put a very high tariff - 50% on India. I get along very well… pic.twitter.com/v2mb0tzGf2

— ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2025

Speaking on the tariffs imposed on India and his relationship with Prime Minister Modi, Trump said, "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."

This statement came just days after the leaders of India, Russia, and China shared the stage at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin. On Truth Social, Trump remarked that the United States had “lost Russia and India to deepest, darkest China.”