Jaishankar says Modi attaches great importance to Indo-US ties

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “fully reciprocate” President Trump’s “always be friends" remark, said on Saturday (August 6) that the Prime Minister attaches great importance to Indo-US ties, adding that Modi always had a very good personal equation with the US President.

'Will remain engaged with the US'

Jaishankar also said that India remains engaged with the US. “PM Modi attaches enormous importance to our partnership with the US. Where President Trump is concerned, he (PM Modi) has always had a very good personal equation with President Trump,” said Jaishankar.

“But the point is that we remain engaged with the US, and at this time, I can't say more than that. But that's really what I would say,” he added as quoted by ANI.

His comments came within hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded positively to Trump's conciliatory remarks, expressing full reciprocation of Trump's sentiments about their friendship and bilateral partnership.

Also Read: Thaw in Indo-US ties? PM Modi responds to Trump's 'positive' remarks

What Trump said about Modi?

Modi's statement came after Trump declared he would "always be friends" with Modi, marking an apparent shift from his previous criticism, where he claimed the US had "lost India to the deepest, darkest China." The Prime Minister emphasised their "very positive and forward-looking Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership" in a post on X.

Trump on Friday described India-US ties as a "very special relationship" while expressing personal loyalty to Modi, stating “I'll always be friends with (Narendra) Modi… He’s a great prime minister. He's great. But I just don't like what he's doing at this particular moment. But India and the United States have a special relationship. There's nothing to worry about. We just have moments on occasion.”

Also Read: India-US ties special; nothing to worry about: Trump

'Unhappy with Modi's current actions'

However, he conveyed displeasure with "what PM Modi is doing at this particular moment", an apparent reference to India's continued Russian oil purchases that triggered US tariffs.

Trump clarified his earlier social media criticism, saying "I don't think we have lost India", and noted that trade talks with India are "going well." He referenced Modi's recent visit to the Rose Garden, emphasising their personal rapport.

Throughout the tariff dispute, India has notably refrained from directly criticizing Trump or the US, despite facing steep penalties over Russian oil imports. However, India had earlier described Trump's decision to impose 25 per cent retaliatory tariffs on India for buying Russian oil as “unjustified.”