NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday responded to US President Donald Trump’s recent remarks describing him as a “great Prime Minister” and a “friend” amid tensions over tariff row. PM Modi said he “deeply appreciate and fully reciprocate” Trump’s sentiments.The remarks by the two leaders come at a time of strained bilateral ties, following Washington’s move to impose a 50% tariff on India.In a post on X, PM Modi wrote: “Deeply appreciate and fully reciprocate President Trump’s sentiments and positive assessment of our ties. India and the US have a very positive and forward-looking Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership.”Hours earlier, speaking to reporters at the Oval Office, Trump underlined the strength of the relationship. “I always will. I’ll always be friends with (PM) Modi. He’s a great Prime Minister. I’ll always be friends, but I just don’t like what he is doing at this particular moment. But India and the United States have a very special relationship,” Trump said.“There is nothing to worry about. We just have moments on occasion,” he added.Trump also addressed his earlier post on Truth Social in which he claimed the US had “lost India and Russia to China.” He reiterated his concerns over India’s oil trade with Moscow. “I’ve been very disappointed that India would be buying so much oil from Russia. I let them know that. We put a very big tariff on India — 50 per cent, very high tariff. I get along very well with (PM) Modi as you know. He was here couple of months ago, in fact we went to the Rose Garden and had a press conference,” he said.The comments follow PM Modi’s recent visit to China for the SCO Summit, amid ongoing trade tensions with Washington. Trump has imposed a 25 per cent reciprocal tariff on India, along with an additional 25 per cent penalty for Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil.India, for its part, has called the US tariffs “unjustified and unreasonable.”
