External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi attaches “enormous importance” to India’s ties with the Untied States and shares a very good personal equation with US President Donald Trump.
“PM Modi attaches enormous importance to our partnership with the US. Where President Trump is concerned, he has always had a very good personal equation with President Trump.
“But the point is that we remain engaged with the US, and at this time, I can’t say more than that. But that’s really what I would say,” Jaishankar was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
His remarks came shortly Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a shoutout to US President Trump for his positive remarks on India-US relationship, calling it “special”.
Trump had also called Modi his “friend” and a great “Prime Minister”.
“I will always be friends with Modi, he is a great Prime Minister. India and the United States have a special relationship. There is nothing to worry about,” Trump said amid tensions between the two countries over his India-Pakistan ceasefire claims and imposition of tariffs.
In response, Modi reciprocated Trump’s sentiments and his positive assessment of India-US ties.
“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,” Modi said on X.
This was Modi’s first public expression on India-US ties after Trump’s imposition of steep tariffs on India over the country’s purchase of Russian oil.
The exchange of also marked Modi’s first public acknowledgment of Trump since he started taking credit, repeatedly, for brokering peace between India and Pakistan during their four-day conflict in May this year.