Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday that New Delhi and Washington continue to share “very positive” ties, an exchange that followed US President Donald Trump’s reaffirmation of their personal friendship and his downplaying of earlier remarks about “losing India” to China.
This positive dialogue comes despite recent strains, with Washington imposing tariffs of up to 50% on Indian imports and accusing New Delhi of indirectly fueling Moscow’s attacks on Ukraine by purchasing Russian oil.
However, Trump and Modi, both right-wing populists, have maintained a strong personal bond since the US president’s first term.
“Deeply appreciate and fully reciprocate President Trump’s sentiments and positive assessment of our ties,” Modi wrote on X, adding that India and the United States share a “very positive and forward-looking comprehensive and global strategic partnership.”
Earlier, Trump had told reporters, “I will always be friends with Modi. India and the United States have a special relationship. There is nothing to worry about,” downplaying his previous comment about “losing India” to China.
Last week, Modi visited China to attend a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation gathering, his first trip to the country in seven years, which signaled a thaw in relations between the two Asian powers. Trump has appeared irritated at New Delhi, as he seeks credit for what he called Nobel Prize-worthy diplomacy for brokering peace between Pakistan and India following the worst conflict in decades between the nuclear-armed neighbors in May.
