New Delhi, March 17, 2025 – Amid tense trade negotiations between India and the US, President Donald Trump shared Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent podcast with Lex Fridman on his Truth Social handle. In the podcast, Modi praised Trump for his courage and patriotism, highlighting the “nation first” policies of both leaders as a foundation for strong India-US ties.
Modi called Trump a “great leader” and recalled how Trump described him as a tough negotiator. He said that as India’s leader, he would always put national interests first, adding that world leaders were aware of this stance. Modi pointed to the 2019 “Howdy Modi” event in Houston, where Trump broke security protocol to join him in a stadium lap, as proof of Trump’s trust and friendship.
Modi also addressed the threat of terrorism, calling Pakistan the “epicenter of terror.” He cited the sheltering of Osama Bin Laden and the 9/11 attacks as examples of Pakistan’s role in global terrorism. Modi noted that despite India’s peace efforts, Pakistan had consistently failed to reciprocate.
On global conflicts, Modi expressed hope for an early resolution of the Russia-Ukraine war but criticized the United Nations for failing to enforce a rules-based global order due to its outdated structure. He argued that despite the lessons of COVID-19, the world continued to choose conflict over cooperation.
On China, Modi took a more diplomatic tone, supporting cooperation between the two Asian powers as crucial for global stability. He acknowledged that restoring the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to its pre-2020 status would take time but said that talks were progressing.
