United States President Donald Trump on Friday, September 5, 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, Trump voiced displeasure over some of PM Modi’s “recent actions”, hinting at differences despite the overall warmth.
His softer tone for PM Modi and his “special relationship” with India came days after he imposed 50 per cent tariffs, citing New Delhi’s business relations with Russia. The US had earlier imposed 25 per cent duties on Indian imports, subsequently increasing them to 50 per cent for India’s ties with Russia.
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When Trump was asked if he’s ready to “reset ties with India,” as ties between the two countries continue to reel under possibly the worst phase in over two decades, the US President said, “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. There is nothing to worry about. We just have moments on occasion,” Trump said.
Trump ‘very disappointed’
Trump also said he is “very disappointed” that India would be buying “so much oil” from Russia.
“I’ve been very disappointed that India would be buying so much oil from Russia, and I let them know that. We put a very big tariff on India, 50 per cent tariff, very high tariff. I get along very well with [PM Narendra] Modi, he’s great. He was here a couple of months ago,” Trump said in response to a question on his social media post that the US has lost India and Russia to China.
In the Truth Social post, Trump said that “Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!”
Trump had also posted an old photo of PM Modi with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Trump’s post on social media came days after the bonhomie among Modi, Xi, and Putin at a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the Chinese city of Tianjin drew global attention.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration’s Senior Counsellor for Trade and Manufacturing, Peter Navarro, said in a post on X that India’s highest tariffs cost US jobs. “India buys Russian oil purely to profit/revenues feed the Russian war machine. Ukrainians/Russians die. US taxpayers shell out more. India can’t handle truth/spins,” Navarro said.
National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said that Trump and his trade team are disappointed that India continues to “fund” Russia’s Ukraine war.
“I think the trade team and the president are disappointed that India continues to fund Russia’s Ukraine war, and hopefully it’s a diplomatic issue that will have positive development soon,” Hassett told reporters at the White House on Friday.