WASHINGTON– U.S. President Donald Trump has called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “great man” and described India as “an incredible country,” adding that he is open to meeting the Indian leader on the sidelines of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in Malaysia.
During a White House press conference, Trump was asked whether he would meet Prime Minister Modi during the summit. “Yeah, sure, he’s a friend of mine. We have a great relationship,” Trump said. “He’s a great man. He loves Trump… I’ve watched India for years. It’s an incredible country, and every single year you’d have a new leader. I mean, some would be in there for a few months, and this was year after year after year. And my friend has been there now for a long time.”
The U.S. President also claimed that India has “assured” him it will stop buying oil from Russia, though he acknowledged the process could take time. “He assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia… You can’t do it immediately. It’s a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over with soon, and all we want from President Putin is to stop this,” Trump said.
He added that if India halts its oil purchases from Russia, it would make it “much easier” to resolve the ongoing conflict. “Within a short period of time, they will not be buying oil from Russia, and they’ll go back to Russia after the war’s over,” he said, noting that he also plans to pressure China “to do the same thing.”
While India has increased its purchases of discounted Russian crude in recent years, China remains Moscow’s largest energy buyer. The Trump administration recently imposed an additional 25 percent tariff on India for its Russian oil imports but has not taken similar action against China.
Trump also praised the new U.S. Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, who attended the press conference. “We have the new ambassador to India right here. They’re well represented. You better represent us, not them, okay? But Sergio is going to do a great job. He’s going to do a great job,” he said.
Trump’s remarks come as Indian trade officials are in Washington for the latest round of bilateral negotiations. Chief negotiator Rajesh Agrawal is expected to arrive later Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, India’s Commerce Ministry said the country could increase imports of crude oil and natural gas from the United States by $12–13 billion without modifying refinery configurations. Officials noted that India is committed to diversifying its energy sources, provided supplies are available at competitive prices.
The talks in Washington follow Gor’s recent meetings in New Delhi with Prime Minister Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. Gor also met with Agrawal, writing on X, “During my visit to India, I met with Commerce Secretary Agrawal and discussed U.S.-India economic ties, including increased investment in the United States.” (Source: IANS)
