President Donald Trump on Thursday (September 18, 2025) said he enjoys a “very close” relationship with India and shares a strong personal bond with prime minister Narendra Modi.
Speaking at a joint press conference with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Chequers, the British leader’s official countryside residence, Trump emphasized his warm ties with Modi. He said he had personally called the Indian Prime Minister to wish him a happy 75th birthday, which Modi acknowledged with what Trump described as a “beautiful” statement.
“I’m very close to India. I’m very close to the prime minister of India. I spoke to him the other day to wish him a Happy Birthday,” Trump told reporters.
When asked about his approach toward Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump replied, “We have a very good relationship, and he put out a beautiful statement too. But I sanctioned them.”
The call, which took place on Tuesday (September 16, 2025), just a day before Modi’s birthday, is being seen as part of Washington’s efforts to smoothen ties with New Delhi amid ongoing tariff tensions.
The Trump administration recently doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent, including a 25 per cent additional duty imposed over India’s purchase of Russian crude oil.
India has defended its decision to buy Russian crude, insisting that its energy policy is dictated by national interest and market considerations.
“Very simply, if the price of oil comes down, Putin is going to drop out. He’s going to have no choice. He’s going to drop out of that war,” Trump said, adding that he had also sanctioned European countries and China for importing Russian oil.
“China is paying a very large tariff right now to the United States, but I’m willing to do other things, but not when the people that I’m fighting for are buying oil from Russia. If the oil price comes down, very simply, Russia will settle; and the oil price is way down, we got it way down,” he added.
During the briefing, Trump described Putin as his “biggest disappointment” over the Ukraine conflict. He also repeated his earlier claim of intervening in tensions between India and Pakistan earlier this year.
“We did seven (conflicts) and most of them were not thought to be settleable. We did India, and we did Pakistan. That’s two nuclear (countries),” he said.
“That was purely for trade. You [India and Pakistan] want to trade with us, you’re going to have to get along. And they [India and Pakistan] were going at it hot and heavy,” he continued.
Earlier this year, after Operation Sindoor — India’s retaliatory strike following the Pakistan-backed terror attack in Pahalgam — Trump had claimed on social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to a “full and immediate” ceasefire, crediting US intervention and suggesting that trade incentives were offered to encourage peace.
However, India has repeatedly stated that no third-party mediation was involved, clarifying that the ceasefire agreement was the result of direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both nations.
Trump and First Lady Melania wrapped up their two-day state visit to the U.K., hosted by King Charles III, and departed Chequers shortly after the press conference to return to Washington aboard Air Force One.
