US President Donald Trump welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the White House on Thursday, calling him a “great friend” and highlighting their long-standing relationship.
Trump Praises Modi, Talks Oil, Gas, and Trade
Speaking to reporters alongside PM Modi, Trump emphasized that the India-US partnership has remained strong over the years and will be further strengthened under his administration.
“It’s a great honour to have PM Modi of India. He is a great friend of mine for a long time. We have had a wonderful relationship, and we kept the relationship during our 4-year period… We have just started up again. We have, I think, some very big things to talk about. Number 1 is, they are going to be purchasing a lot of our oil and gas.”
Trump added that energy cooperation will be a major focus of discussions, as the US has the world’s largest oil and gas reserves, while India needs reliable energy sources.
“We are going to talk about trade. We are going to talk about many things. But, it’s really an honour to see you. You have been my friend for a long time. Congratulations on having done a great job.”
Modi-Trump Exchange at the White House
- PM Modi and President Trump shared a warm hug upon greeting each other at the West Wing lobby of the White House.
- White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino shared a behind-the-scenes image of the two leaders on X (formerly Twitter).
- Modi’s visit comes just three weeks after Trump’s second-term inauguration, making him one of the first world leaders to meet the US President.
Modi’s High-Level Meetings Before Trump Talks
Before meeting President Trump, PM Modi engaged in bilateral talks with:
- US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz
- Tesla CEO Elon Musk
- Indian-origin entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy
- US Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard
A Strengthening Strategic Partnership
- Since November 2024, Modi and Trump have spoken twice over the phone to discuss trade and strategic cooperation.
- External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar attended Trump’s inauguration in January and participated in the QUAD Foreign Ministers’ meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
- Before arriving in the US, Modi completed a three-day visit to France, where he co-chaired the AI Action Summit with French President Emmanuel Macron.
This meeting marks an important step in strengthening India-US ties, with both leaders expected to expand cooperation in energy, trade, and global security.