Trump hails close ties with India and PM Modi but defends tariffs on Russian oil

US President Donald Trump on Thursday underlined his close ties with India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, combining personal warmth with a firm stance on trade during a press conference with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Speaking at the press conference, Trump said, “I’m very close to India. I’m very close to the Prime Minister of India. Spoke to him the other day, wished him a happy birthday. We have a very good relationship. He put out a beautiful statement, too…But I said, I sanctioned them.”

US President Donald Trump extended 75th birthday wishes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi through a phone call, and expressed gratitude for support on ending the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.In a post on his social media account, Truth Social, Trump stated that PM Modi is doing a “tremendous job.”

The greetings from the US President came on a day when the US Trade Representative, Brendan Lynch, was in the national capital to discuss next steps in bilateral trade negotiations.

Brendan Lynch had a positive meeting with his counterpart, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Special Secretary Rajesh Agrawal, on Tuesday to discuss next steps in bilateral trade negotiations, with the two sides deciding to intensify efforts to achieve an early conclusion of a mutually beneficial trade agreement.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a statement that a team of officials from the office of the United States Trade Representative, led by Chief Negotiator for India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement negotiations, Brendan Lynch, visited India on September 16, 2025.

“They held discussions with officials from the Department of Commerce, led by the Special Secretary, Department of Commerce, on India-US trade ties, including on the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement,” it said.

With inputs from agencies