Trump also called Modi a “very tough negotiator” when asked about the trade deal.
“We (US) will be there to help” if India is attacked, President Donald Trump told reporters in France’s Evian on Wednesday as he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a bilateral meeting. During a joint press briefing with Modi on the sidelines of the G7 summit, Trump said India and the US have a great relationship.
“I think it is a great relationship…If they were attacked, we would be there to help them…If anybody attacks that man, we are going to be there…If they are attacked and he (PM Modi) is the leader, we are going to be there to help,” Trump told the press.
Modi and Trump had met a day earlier in France, their first in-person meeting in 16 months. This period saw the bilateral relationship strained by last week’s American attacks on seafarers when three Indian were killed and Washington’s high tariffs that disrupted New Delhi’s exports.
India’s role in West Asia
Trump was asked if he expected India to play any role in West Asia. Trump responded in the affirmative, saying “India plays a big role in everything”.
“Yes, I do. I think India plays a big role in everything. As long as he (PM Narendra Modi) is the leader, India is going to play a big role.”
Trump also said talked about his personal equation with India.
“As long as I am President, they (India) have a great friend in the White House…Everyone here loves India and they have tremendous respect for this (PM Narendra Modi) man.”
Trump praises Modi
Trump also called Modi a “very tough negotiator” when asked about the trade deal.
Trump said: “He’s a very tough negotiator… You look at this man. I’ll give you a lesson. He’s the most beautiful-looking man. He looks so nice, like an angel. But actually, he’s as tough as he is a killer… But he looks so good. So he gets you by surprise. But there are a few people like this. People say he’s such a nice man. I said he’s very tough. He’s a tough trader, and he loves the Indian people, but he also loves the USA. We had ‘Howdy Modi’ in Houston. The stadium was full… We’ll be going to India sometime in the future.”
