'I am a big, big fan of Prime Minister Modi, India can count on me,' says Trump

US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he loves India and is a big fan of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a surprise live video call at an event in Delhi.

Trump made the surprise call to an event marking the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence, where he spoke to the US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, and Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State and the acting National Security Adviser. External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar also attended the event.

During the call, the US President was heard saying, "I just want to say hello to everybody. I love the Prime Minister. PM Modi is great; he is my friend."

Addressing the Indian people, Trump said, "I just wanna say you are great. We have never been closer to India, and India can count on me and our country 100 per cent. If they need any help, they know where to call. They call right here. We are doing well. We are setting records. We have a record economy, a record stock market."

Further supporting India, the US President added, "Anything India wants, they will get. I am a big, big fan of Prime Minister Modi."

"It's an honour to talk and say hello to Prime Minister Modi and let him know I am a big fan," Trump said before concluding his call.

Trump's remarks came amid Rubio’s four-day visit to India, during which he extended an invitation on behalf of Trump for PM Modi to visit the White House.

The visit by the top US diplomat comes at a significant moment in bilateral ties, as both countries seek to strengthen economic engagement following months of friction over tariffs and trade policies pursued by Washington.

Observers view Rubio's visit to India as an effort to reinforce confidence in the bilateral relationship and push forward negotiations on a comprehensive trade framework.

Addressing a joint media briefing earlier on Sunday with EAM Jaishankar, Rubio expressed optimism about the progress achieved in ongoing negotiations.

"We’ve made tremendous progress, and I think we’re going to wind up with a trade agreement between the US and India that is going to be enduring and beneficial to both sides, while remaining sustainable in a way that addresses the national interests that we have," he said.

Indo-Asian News Service