US President Donald Trump meets with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G7 summit, in Evian-les-Bains, France. (AP Photo)
US President Donald Trump praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an interview aired Friday, calling him a great leader and pointing to India’s size and its trade relationship with the United States.
Trump made the remarks during an interview with The Axios Show, when asked to name the world leaders he admires most. Trump named Chinese President Xi Jinping and Modi as the two leaders he holds in the highest regard.
“I think Modi is very good. They’ve had some very good numbers announced. He stays out of wars, which is smart. He’s 1.5 billion people. He’s actually the biggest. India’s actually the biggest,” Trump said.
He went on to talk about trade between the two countries. “Modi’s a great leader, and we do a lot of business with them, but now we do fair business. They used to really rip us off. I don’t blame them for that. We had stupid politicians, but, that allowed that to happen. But now we do a lot of business. They’re not that happy about it because they used to do a lot better. But Modi’s great,” he said.
Trump used similar language for Xi Jinping. He called both leaders “classics,” adding that if a film were made about either man, no actor in Hollywood could play the part, and praised Xi’s appearance in particular.
A pattern of mixed signals on trade
Trump’s remarks add to a year of statements in which he has called Modi a close friend while also describing India’s past trade practices in unflattering terms. At the APEC summit in South Korea in 2025, Trump said he had “great respect and love” for Modi and called their relationship strong, while announcing plans for a trade deal between the two countries.
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The two countries’ trade relationship has also been a point of friction. Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for ending the brief military conflict between India and Pakistan in May 2025, a claim Modi’s government has consistently rejected.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said Modi told Trump directly that India does not and will never accept third-party mediation, and that there was complete political consensus in India on the matter.
Why it matters
Trump’s comments come as Washington and New Delhi continue negotiating a bilateral trade agreement. His description of India as having previously taken advantage of the US echoes language he has used before to justify tariff measures against Indian exports.
The remarks, paired with praise for PM Modi personally, reflect the balancing act that has defined the relationship through 2025 and into 2026 warm personal rhetoric alongside tougher trade positioning.
With inputs from Axios
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