Modi praises ties with Trump that are now being tested by tariff threats

Jon Herskovitz, Bloomberg News on Mar 16, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi lavished praise on Donald Trump as a man of courage, underscoring strong personal bonds now being tested by the U.S. president’s tariff plans, which also include the South Asian nation.

Modi said he gets along well with Trump because they both put their nations first. He made the comments in a rare interview on the Lex Fridman Podcast released over the weekend that come as India becomes a prime target for reciprocal U.S. tariffs from April 2.

“His reflection showed his America First spirit, just as I believe in nation first,” Modi said. “I stand for India first and that’s why we connect so well.”

Modi has been making concessions to appease Trump. India has lowered some of its levies on American goods and officials in New Delhi have been discussing reducing duties for a range of other products including automobiles, some agricultural products and chemicals, Bloomberg has reported.

Modi was one of the first world leaders to meet Trump after he returned to the White House. Modi’s trip in February followed years of deepening ties between the U.S. and India, which Washington has been cultivating as a regional counterweight against a more assertive China.

During Modi’s latest U.S. visit, the two sides agreed to negotiate the first tranche of a multi-sector trade deal by the fall of this year. Trade between the two countries grew to $127 billion in 2023, making the U.S. India’s largest trading partner and putting pressure on New Delhi to strike a deal.

The Indian leader said Trump took him aside for a personal trip around the White House when Modi visited for the first time. He also appreciated how Trump in his first term joined the Indian leader at a “Howdy Modi” rally in Houston 2019 to walk around the stadium and wave to the crowd.

“It showed me that this man had courage,” he said.

Modi said Trump is better positioned to lead in his second term and commended the government efficiency campaign lead by billionaire Elon Musk.

“I have observed President Trump both during his first term and now in his second run,” Modi said. “This time, he seems far more prepared than before. He has a clear roadmap in his mind with well-defined steps, each one designed to lead him toward his goals.”