The comments come amid ongoing trade negotiations between India and the US after Trump announced a 50 per cent tariff on New Delhi.
United States President Donald Trump on Thursday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as ‘a great man’ and ‘a friend’, while hinting that he could visit India next year to strengthen bilateral trade relations. The comments come amid intensifying trade negotiations between New Delhi and Washington following the US’s recent decision to impose a punitive 50 per cent tariff – including an additional 25 per cent duty, over India’s continued purchase of Russian oil, which has subsequently seen a reduction in the recent weeks as per the media reports.
Speaking to reporters at the White House after announcing a new initiative to lower the prices of weight-loss drugs across the United States, Trump said discussions with Modi were progressing positively. “He (PM Modi) largely stopped buying from Russia. And he is a friend of mine, and we speak. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a great man. He wants me to go there. We will figure that out, I will go,” Trump remarked. When asked if he planned to travel to India next year, the US President responded, “It could be, yes.”
Trump also reiterated his long-standing claim of using tariffs as a deterrent to conflict, saying he “ended eight wars, five or six of them because of tariffs.” He added that his approach helped prevent a potential India-Pakistan war, asserting that both nations had shot down multiple aircraft during heightened tensions in May.
A Shift in US-India Relations
Trump’s latest remarks mark a notable shift from an August report by The New York Times, which stated that the US President had no plans to attend the Quad Summit in India later this year following Washington’s imposition of tariffs. The report, titled “The Nobel Prize and a Testy Phone Call: How the Trump-Modi Relationship Unraveled,” suggested that the once-friendly rapport between the two leaders had cooled after disagreements over trade and energy policies.
However, Trump’s fresh comments suggest renewed enthusiasm for strengthening ties with India. According to White House official Leavitt, the President remains “positive and feels very strongly about the India-US relationship,” noting that Trump recently spoke to PM Modi during Diwali celebrations at the White House with senior Indian American officials present.
India’s Response on Russian Oil Imports
Reacting to the US tariffs and Trump’s statements, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reaffirmed that the nation’s energy policies are guided by national interests and consumer welfare. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “India is a significant importer of oil and gas. It has been our consistent priority to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario. Our import policies are guided entirely by this objective.”
As both countries continue to negotiate over tariffs and trade frameworks, Trump’s indication of a potential India visit in 2026 could signal a new phase in the evolving India-US strategic partnership.
Helene Elliott is the senior reporter for News Raise. She covers Science news. She also has a keen interest in photojournalism. Helene holds a nomination for the prestigious Red Smith Award. She is married to author Dennis D’Agostino, a former publicist with the New York Mets.
