WASHINGTON / NEW DELHI — U.S. President Donald Trump lavished praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a White House address, calling him “a great man” and describing India as “an incredible country,” before making a series of unusual remarks that quickly drew attention.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said Modi had assured him that India would soon stop buying oil from Russia — a move he claimed would help pave the way for peace between Moscow and Kyiv. “Modi is a great man. He loves Trump,” Trump said, before abruptly clarifying, “I don’t want you to take the word ‘love’ any differently. I don’t want to destroy his political career.”
He went on to commend Modi’s longevity in office, contrasting it with what he described as India’s previously rapid political turnover. “I have watched India for years. It’s an incredible country, and every single year you would have a new leader. Some would be in there for a few months, and this was year after year after year, and my friend has been there now for a long time,” Trump remarked.
The comments come amid warming ties between Washington and New Delhi, which had been strained in recent years by the heavy tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. Trump had previously accused India of “funding the Russian war machine” through its crude oil purchases, arguing that such trade was undermining his efforts to broker peace in Ukraine.
During the briefing, Trump repeated what he called a “breaking headline,” claiming that Modi had assured him India would phase out Russian oil imports. “He’s assured me there will be no oil purchases from Russia. He can’t do it immediately. It’s a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over soon,” Trump said.
New Delhi has not issued an official response to the comments. India has consistently maintained that its energy import policies are driven by domestic priorities, emphasizing the need for stable prices and secure supplies.
Trump also weighed in on the state of the war in Ukraine, noting that Russia’s failure to secure a quick victory has damaged its image. He claimed he had once believed a deal was within reach, but acknowledged the deep animosity between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a major obstacle to peace.
“If India doesn’t buy oil, it makes it much easier, and they assured me that within a short period of time, they will not be buying oil from Russia. They will go back to Russia after the war is over,” Trump said, reiterating his belief that India’s actions could influence the trajectory of the conflict.