As US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi met for bilateral talks in France on Wednesday, a question was asked to the Republican: “Do you expect India to play any role in West Asia?”. Trump’s response was in the affirmative, and full of praises for PM Modi.
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“Yeah I do, I think India plays a big role in everything. As long he (Modi) is the leader, India plays a big role,” Trump said, evoking a smile from PM Modi, who was seated next to him. The US President also said that in India everyone has “tremendous” respect for PM Modi. Follow live updates on the Trump-Modi meeting here.
Trump reportedly also said that India and the US are working on important trade deals.
Trump’s remarks on India possibly playing a role in mediating the West Asia conflict come at a time when Pakistan is the lead negotiator in talks between the US and Iran. A few days back Pakistan said that both sides had reached an agreement to end the war. However, Trump on Wednesday said that no deal was final but only a memorandum of understanding was in the works.
PM Modi flags safety of seafarers
The meeting between PM Modi and Donald Trump came after 16 months, the last one being in Washington DC in February 2025. During this meeting, PM Modi raised the issue of the safety of seafarers and the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open for operations.
“I think we both agree that keeping the Strait of Hormuz open is vital for the global economy. India has consistently emphasised the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation and we should work together for it,” PM Modi said.
Further moving to the issue of sailors and their safety. “Across the world, Indian seafarers in hundreds of thousands are working across global maritime trade routes. Their safety is of utmost importance to us,” PM Modi said.
He also expressed hope that the safety of sailors will be given highest priority in the negotiations with Iran.
‘Beautiful, nice, like an angel’
President Donald Trump rained words of praise for Modi at the meeting, using phrases like “beautiful-looking man, so nice, like an angel”. Trump also called Modi a tough negotiator despite being a nice man.
His remarks on Modi’s negotiating skills came months after US tariffs on Indian imports came down to 18%. In August last year, Trump imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods, including the 25% punitive levy for the purchase of Russian oil. The move had soured trade ties between both sides for a while.
