Washington, DC: US President Donald Trump delivered high praise for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him “a great man” and highlighting the positive outcome of talks between Modi and US Ambassador-designate Sergio Gor.
Speaking from the Oval Office along with FBI Director Kash Patel, he recounted the discussions, expressing admiration for India’s political stability. “I have watched India for years. It is 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,” he said.
Trump praised PM Modi’s leadership in steering India’s global role and referenced ongoing energy cooperation with the United States.
When asked about the ambassador’s talks with the Indian prime minister, Trump said, “I think they were great… Modi is a great man. He (Sergio Gor) told me that he (PM Modi) loves Trump.”
A major revelation emerged from the briefing. Trump stated that PM Modi had assured him that India would soon stop buying oil from Russia.
“He has assured me there will be no oil purchases from Russia… He is not buying his oil from Russia… He cannot do it immediately. It is a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over soon,” said the president.
The move, according to Trump, could strengthen international pressure on Russia and help end the Ukraine conflict. “All we want from President Putin is to stop this, stop killing Ukrainians and stop killing Russians because he is killing a lot of Russians,” he said, describing the tense dynamic between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a “major obstacle”.
Trump added optimism regarding India’s stance, stating, “I think we will get them. If India does not buy oil, it makes it much easier… They will not be buying oil from Russia, and they will go back to Russia after the war is over.”
The Oval Office session also provided a platform for Trump to highlight the strengthening US-India relationship. Despite the briefing focussing largely on violent crime in the United States, Trump repeatedly highlighted his personal rapport with PM Modi.
On the topic of India as a reliable partner, he said, “Yeah, sure. He (PM Modi) is a friend of mine. We have a great relationship…I was not happy that India was buying oil. And he assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That is a big stop. Now we have got to get China to do the same thing…”
He reiterated, “He is a friend of mine. We have a great relationship. He just said that two days ago, as you know.”
Trump criticised past Indian oil purchases from Russia, calling them counterproductive to ending the war in Ukraine. “We were not happy with him buying oil from Russia, because that lets Russia continue on with this ridiculous war, where they have lost a million and a half people, by the way. Russia has lost a million and a half people, soldiers mostly,” he said.
India has maintained that these imports are vital for economic stability, even as the United States presses for diversification.
Trump characterised the war as avoidable and prolonged: “This is a war that should have never started, but it is a war that Russia should have won in the first week, and they are going into the fourth year. And I want to see it stop. So I was not happy that India was buying oil.”
He compared this diplomatic challenge with his recent Middle East efforts, highlighting, “You know, that is relatively easy compared to what we just did over the last week in the Middle East. Middle East was 3,000 years, and we got it done. This is three years.”
Optimistic about a resolution, Trump added, “And I think we will get it done. I think that Putin, President Putin, I think he is going to, I think he wants to get it done. We will see.”
On Russia-Ukraine tensions, he said, “There is a great animosity between him (Putin) and Zelensky, you probably have noticed. And it is, I think it is hurting the process. Yeah.”
The comments highlight Trump’s continued focus on global energy diplomacy and his personal admiration for Modi, signalling Washington’s expectations of India in shaping international policy amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict.