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.
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!”
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."
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.”
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