By Reena Bhardwaj
Washington, DC [US], October 16 : Lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "great man," US President Donald Trump praised the outcome of the recent meeting between US Ambassador-designate Sergio Gor and the Indian leader.
Addressing a joint news conference with FBI Director Kash Patel from the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump reflected on India's leadership and its evolving global stance, particularly on oil trade with Russia.
Responding to ANI's question on Gor's discussions with PM Modi, Trump remarked, "I think they were great... Modi is a great man. He (Sergio Gor) told me that he (PM Modi) loves Trump."
The President went on to express his admiration for India's political stability under Modi's leadership, recalling how the country once saw frequent leadership changes.
"I have watched India for years. It's an incredible country and every single year you would have a new leader. Some would be in there for a few months and this was year after year after year and my friend has been there now for a long time," he stated.
Emphasising India's cooperation with Washington on energy matters, Trump noted that PM Modi had assured him New Delhi would soon halt oil imports from Moscow.
"He's assured me there will be no oil purchases from Russia... He's not buying his oil from Russia... He can't do it immediately. It's a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over soon," the President said.
Trump further underscored that ending India's oil trade with Russia would strengthen international efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine.
All we want from President Putin is to stop this, stop killing Ukrainians and stop killing Russians because he's killing a lot of Russians," he said, while describing the animosity between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a "major obstacle."
"I think we'll get them. If India doesn't buy oil, it makes it much easier... They will not be buying oil from Russia, and they'll go back to Russia after the war is over," Trump added, signalling optimism that India's stance could help de-escalate tensions.
The briefing, which was primarily focused on the administration's initiatives to combat violent crime across the United States, also served as a platform for Trump to highlight the growing depth of the US-India relationship and his continued rapport with Prime Minister Modi.
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