‘Working out very well’: Trump optimistic about US-India trade talks, calls Modi ‘smart man’

US President Donald Trump has praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “very smart man” and a “great friend of mine” while expressing confidence that tariff negotiations between India and the US would “work out very well.” His remarks hold significance as he has repeatedly criticized India and other nations for imposing high tariffs on American goods.

“Prime Minister Modi was here just recently, and we have always been very good friends,” Trump said at the White House on Friday.

“India is one of the highest tariffing nations in the world… it’s brutal, it’s brutal. They’re very smart. He (Modi) is a very smart man and a great friend of mine. We had very good talks. I think it’s going to work out very well between India and our country,” he added.

“And I want to say you have a great prime minister,” Trump remarked.

PM Modi had visited Washington, DC, in February and held bilateral talks with Trump, just weeks after Trump’s second term as US President began.

Trump has previously called India a high-tariff nation and reiterated that reciprocal tariffs on countries imposing levies on American goods would take effect on April 2.With inputs from PTI