New Delhi: Relations between India and the United States appeared to signal a thaw this weekend after Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly acknowledged and reciprocated US President Donald Trump’s remarks appreciating their personal rapport, despite escalating trade tensions.
This marks the first public reference to his personal relationship with Trump since the US imposed sweeping new tariffs on Indian goods over buying Russian crude oil.
In a post on X, PM Modi wrote he “deeply appreciates” and “fully reciprocates” the sentiments expressed by Trump, who had earlier described the Indian leader as a “great prime minister” and a “friend,” even as he criticised India’s trade policies.
“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,” PM Modi posted on X.
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.@realDonaldTrump @POTUS https://t.co/4hLo9wBpeF
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 6, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his “disappointment” with India over its continued purchase of oil from Russia, stating the issue had prompted his administration to impose steep tariffs on Indian imports.
During a press conference at the Oval Office 5 September, when asked by a journalist, “Who do you blame for losing India to China?” Trump responded, “I don’t think we have. I’ve been very disappointed that India would be buying so much oil, as you know, from Russia. And I let them know that. We put a very big tariff on India. 50 percent tariff, very high tariff.”
Adding to that, the US President said, “I get along very well with Modi, as you know. He’s great. He was here a couple of months ago.”
Despite the criticism, Trump underlined that his personal bond with Modi remained intact.
“I’ll always be friends with Modi… He’s a great prime minister. He’s great,” Trump said. “But I just don’t like what he’s doing at this particular moment. But India and the United States have a special relationship. There’s nothing to worry about. We just have moments on occasion,” he said.
This came hours after in a post on his social media platform 5 September, which suggested the United States had “lost” India to China. “Looks like we have lost India and Russia to the deepest, darkest China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The post came days after images from a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China, where PM Modi was seen engaging warmly with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
New Delhi had declined to respond officially to those comments.
Tensions between the two nations have risen in recent weeks following Trump’s decision to impose a 50 percent tariff on Indian imports. The move came in two phases: First a 25 percent duty announced in August, followed by an additional 25 percent hike. The stated rationale was India’s continued purchase of Russian oil in defiance of Western sanctions, a policy that Trump and his advisers argue undermines U.S. interests.
India said the tariff hike was “unjustified”, accusing Washington of penalising New Delhi for pursuing an independent foreign policy and maintaining crucial energy ties with Moscow. The Indian government has insisted its Russian oil imports are vital for national energy security.
However, Trump’s tone has fluctuated. Just days earlier, on 1 Sept, he had launched a scathing tirade on Truth Social, calling U.S.-India relations a “totally one-sided disaster” and accusing India of leveraging high tariffs to limit U.S. exports while enjoying a trade surplus.
Trump’s allies have taken up the rhetoric with even greater ferocity. Peter Navarro, the former trade adviser, alleged that India’s energy purchases are fueling the Kremlin’s war machine. He claimed that “India’s big oil lobbies are in bed with Russian refineries” and controversially suggested that “Brahmins” in India were “profiteering”.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
Also read: Trump’s personal rapport with Modi ‘gone now’, says former US NSA Bolton
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