India-US Ties: Modi reciprocates trump’s positive assessment

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday (September 6, 2025) that India and the U.S. have a “very positive and forward-looking” relationship, his first such statement since ties between the two countries nosedived over trade, tariffs and Operation Sindoor.

Quoting remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who had said on Friday (September 5, 2025) that India and the U.S. have a “special relationship”, and had praised Mr. Modi and their friendship, the Prime Minister said on X that he “deeply appreciated and fully reciprocated” the comments. 

India-US Ties: Modi reciprocates trump’s positive assessment.

Significantly, the two leaders, who met warmly in February shortly after Mr. Trump was sworn-in, have not spoken directly to each other since a telephone call on June 17, after which India-U.S. trade talks broke down and the U.S. declared 25% tariffs on Indian goods, along with a 25% penalty for India’s purchase of Russian oil. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who is scheduled to travel to the U.S. for the fourth time this year, for the U.N. General Assembly (UNGA), also confirmed that India “remains engaged” with the U.S.

Mr. Trump’s comments, in a 90-minute press conference on a range of issues, came a day after he had said on social media that the U.S. had “lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest China”, a post that he backtracked on.

“I don’t think we have [lost India],” Mr. Trump said in response to a question about the post. “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% tariff, very high tariff.” 

When asked whether he was ready to reset ties with India, Mr. Trump said he would “always be friends with [Mr.] Modi” and called him a “great Prime Minister”. 

“I just don’t like what he’s doing at this particular moment, but India and the United States have a special relationship,” he said, referring to India’s imports of Russian oil, and added, “There’s nothing to worry about… we just have moments [of disagreements] on occasion.”

A few hours later, Mr. Modi responded.

“I deeply appreciate and fully reciprocate President Trump’s sentiments and positive assessment of our ties,” Mr. Modi said on X, adding that “India and the U.S. have a very positive and forward-looking Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership.” 

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 

— Narendra Modi

When asked about the comments, Mr. Jaishankar said that Prime Minister Modi and President Trump have a “good personal equation” and that Mr. Modi attaches “enormous importance” to the relationship. “The point is that we remain engaged with the U.S., and at this time, I can’t say more than that,” he added.

The next steps by both Delhi and Washington will be watched closely for signs of a truce between the two countries after a team of U.S. negotiators due to visit Delhi in August-end called off the visit.

Mr. Jaishankar is scheduled to travel to the U.S. to represent India at UNGA on September 27, and it is unclear whether he will travel as he usually does to Washington as well and hold bilateral talks on breaking the impasse between the two sides. In particular, all eyes will be on whether Mr. Jaishankar and his counterparts can agree on a date for the Quad Summit due to be held in India this year, which Mr. Trump is expected to attend.

On Friday (September 5, 2025), Mr. Trump signed an executive order offering to zero out tariffs on a number of goods for countries that the U.S. has already signed trade agreements with, and outlooked concessions for future trade agreements, without specifically mentioning India.

Mr. Trump has praised India and Mr. Modi in the past few months on a number of occasions, while also criticising India for high tariffs, Russian oil imports, and claiming credit for mediating the ceasefire with Pakistan in May.

However, this is the first time Mr. Modi has responded publicly, indicating the possibility of a thaw or at least a pause in hostilities in the ties. In the past week, tensions have grown over comments by Trump administration officials, including trade advisor Peter Navarro – who called Mr. Modi’s meeting with Russian and Chinese leaders a “shame”, and called the Ukraine conflict “Modi’s war” – and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who said India would “have to say sorry” and compromise in order to return to the table for talks.