London: US President Donald Trump on Thursday said he is “very close” to India and shares a strong personal rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Addressing a joint press conference with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Chequers, the British PM’s countryside residence, Trump said he has a “very good relationship” with Modi and also wished him on his 75th birthday — a gesture reciprocated by the Indian leader with a “beautiful” statement.
“I’m very close to India. I’m very close to the Prime Minister of India. I spoke to him the other day to wish him a Happy Birthday,” Trump told reporters.
The remarks are in stark contrast to Trump’s recent statements about India in the past, as he continued to lash out at New Delhi over its oil trade with Russia, claiming it’s helping Putin fund the war with Ukraine. For this same reason, he had imposed an additional 25 per cent tariffs on Indian imports, taking the total levies at a whopping 50 per cent.
On Wednesday, he called up PM Modi on his birthday and lauded him for doing a “tremendous job” and his support in resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“Just had a wonderful phone call with my friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I wished him a very Happy Birthday! He is doing a tremendous job. Narendra: Thank you for your support on ending the war between Russia and Ukraine,” he wrote in Truth Socia on Tuesday.
The warmth between the two leaders comes alongside the resumption of trade talks between the two countries.
Prime Minister Modi, while thanking Trump for his wishes, mentioned the talks and said that India is fully committed to “taking the India-US Comprehensive and Global Partnership to new heights”.
