Trump calls PM Modi a 'great man', claims India 'assured' him to not buy Russian oil

Washington, Oct 16 (IANS) US President Donald Trump has described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "great man" and India as "an incredible country", adding that he is open to meeting the Prime Minister on the sidelines of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in Malaysia.

When asked about a potential meeting with the Prime Minister in Malaysia during a press conference at the White House, Trump said, "Yeah, sure, he's a friend of mine. We have a great relationship."

"He's a great man. He loves Trump…I have watched India for years. It's an incredible country, and every single year you'd have a new leader. I mean, 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 added.

Trump also claimed that he has been "assured" that India won't be buying oil from Russia, while adding that he understands that it can't be done "immediately". However, India has not yet responded to this claim.

"He assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia…You can't do it immediately. It's a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over with soon, and all we want from President Putin…is to stop this," he noted.

He added that if India doesn't buy Russian oil, it makes it "much easier" to end the conflict.

"Within a short period of time, they will not be buying oil from Russia, and they'll go back to Russia after the war's over," he emphasised.

Trump told reporters that he would also pressure China "to do the same thing."

While India has started buying Russian oil in the last few years, China is Moscow's biggest energy buyer.

The Trump administration imposed an additional 25 per cent tariffs on India in August for purchasing Russian oil while taking no action against China.

Trump also said that the new US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, who was present in the Oval Office, is going to do a "great job".

"We have the new ambassador to India right here. They're well represented. You better represent us, not them, okay? But Sergio is going to do a great job. He's going to do a great job," he noted.

Trump's statements come as India's trade negotiating team is already in Washington for the next round of talks with US officials, and India's chief negotiator Rajesh Agrawal is slated to arrive late Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the Commerce Ministry stated that India can import more crude oil and natural gas worth $12-$13 billion from the US without altering the configuration of the refineries. The government is keen to diversify the country's energy import portfolio, subject to availability at the "right price".

Trade talks resume in Washington days after Gor met PM Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in New Delhi.

Gor also held discussions with Agrawal and posted on X, "During my visit to India, I met with Commerce Secretary Agrawal and discussed US-India economic ties, including increased investment in the United States."

--IANS

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