Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments that India and the United States “have a very positive and forward-looking” partnership.

Modi made the remarks amid rising tensions following the U.S.’s imposition of 50% tariffs on Indian goods, partly in response to India’s purchases of Russian oil.

Via the U.S. social media platform X, Modi said: “We deeply appreciate and fully reciprocate President Trump’s sentiments and positive assessment of our ties. India and the U.S. have a very positive and forward-looking, comprehensive and global strategic partnership.”

Modi was responding to Trump’s comments at a press conference in Washington, D.C., on Friday, in which the U.S. president stated that India and the U.S. share a special relationship. Trump said: “I will always be friends with Modi, he is a great Prime Minister… I just don’t like what he is doing at this particular moment, but India and the United States have a special relationship. There is nothing to worry about.”

The 50% U.S. tariffs on Indian imports came into effect late last month, partly as a penalty for India’s Russian oil purchases. Trump had previously imposed a 25% baseline tariff on Indian goods after New Delhi and Washington failed to reach a trade deal. India has described the additional U.S. tariffs as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable.”

On Friday, Trump also expressed concern over shifting global alliances between India, Russia and China following the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. Posting on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump shared a photograph of Modi alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, commenting: “Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!”

Modi is expected to skip the UN General Assembly later this month.

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