"I'm very close to India, very close to the Prime Minister of India": Trump

London [United Kingdom], September 18 (ANI): US President Donald Trump on Thursday highlighted his close relationship with India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting their personal connection and recent birthday wishes during a press conference with UK PM Keir Starmer during his visit to the country.
Speaking at the press conference, he highlighted how he had greeted PM Modi on his birthday and highlighted the good ties between New Delhi and Washington.
Trump said, "I'm very close to India. I'm very close to the Prime Minister of India. Spoke to him the other day, wished him a happy birthday. We have a very good relationship. He put out a beautiful statement, too...But I said, I sanctioned them."
US President Donald Trump extended 75th birthday wishes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi through a phone call, and expressed gratitude for support on ending the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
In a post on his social media account, Truth Social, Trump stated that PM Modi is doing a "tremendous job."
"Just had a wonderful phone call with my friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I wished him a very Happy Birthday! He is doing a tremendous job. Narendra: Thank you for your support on ending the War between Russia and Ukraine! President DJT," the post read.
Hours earlier, PM Modi thanked US President Donald Trump for his phone call and said he, like the US leader, is fully committed to taking the India-US Comprehensive and Global Partnership to new heights.
In a post on X, PM Modi referred to President Trump as "my friend" and said that India supports his initiatives for the peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict.
"Thank you, my friend, President Trump, for your phone call and warm greetings on my 75th birthday. Like you, I am also fully committed to taking the India-US Comprehensive and Global Partnership to new heights. We support your initiatives towards a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict," he said.
The greetings from the US President came on a day when the US Trade Representative, Brendan Lynch, was in the national capital to discuss next steps in bilateral trade negotiations.
Brendan Lynch had a positive meeting with his counterpart, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Special Secretary Rajesh Agrawal, on Tuesday to discuss next steps in bilateral trade negotiations, with the two sides deciding to intensify efforts to achieve an early conclusion of a mutually beneficial Trade Agreement.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a statement that a team of officials from the office of the United States Trade Representative, led by Chief Negotiator for India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement negotiations, Brendan Lynch, visited India on September 16, 2025."They held discussions with officials from the Department of Commerce, led by the Special Secretary, Department of Commerce, on India-US trade ties, including on the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement," it said.
Trump also expressed disappointment over India's purchase of Russian oil, citing it as a reason for imposing a 50% tariff on India, with 25% specifically targeting this oil trade.
"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. Ee got it way down. We're drilling and we produce more oil than anybody else in the world. We're doing a lot...," said Trump. (ANI)