Trump Praises PM Modi, Calls Him A Great Leader Who ‘Stays Out Of Wars’

US President Donald Trump has named Prime Minister Narendra Modi among the two world leaders he admires most, calling him a “great leader” and saying India’s decision to stay out of wars was “smart” during an interview aired on Friday.

The remarks came during an appearance on The Axios Show and come as Washington and New Delhi continue negotiations on a bilateral trade agreement. According to The Indian Express, Trump’s comments highlight the mix of personal praise for Modi and tougher trade positioning that has characterised relations between the two countries through 2025 and 2026.

Asked to name the world leaders he holds in the highest regard, Trump named Chinese President Xi Jinping and Modi.

“I think Modi is very good. They’ve had some very good numbers announced. He stays out of wars, which is smart. He’s 1.5 billion people. He’s actually the biggest. India’s actually the biggest,” Trump said.

Trump also spoke about trade between the United States and India.

“Modi’s a great leader, and we do a lot of business with them, but now we do fair business. They used to really rip us off. I don’t blame them for that. We had stupid politicians, but, that allowed that to happen. But now we do a lot of business. They’re not that happy about it because they used to do a lot better. But Modi’s great,” he said.

Trump used similar language for Xi Jinping. He called both leaders “classics” and said that if a film were made about either man, no actor in Hollywood could play the part. He also praised Xi’s appearance.

The comments add to a pattern of statements in which Trump has described Modi as a close friend while also criticising India’s past trade practices. At the APEC summit in South Korea in 2025, Trump said he had “great respect and love” for Modi and called their relationship strong, while announcing plans for a trade deal between the two countries.

The two countries’ trade relationship has also been a point of friction. Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for ending the brief military conflict between India and Pakistan in May 2025, a claim Modi’s government has consistently rejected.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said Modi told Trump directly that India does not and will never accept third-party mediation, and that there was complete political consensus in India on the matter.

As reported by The Indian Express, Trump’s latest remarks come amid ongoing negotiations over a bilateral trade agreement. His description of India as having previously taken advantage of the US echoes language he has used before to justify tariff measures against Indian exports.

According to The Indian Express, the remarks, combined with Trump’s praise for Modi, reflect the balancing act that has defined the relationship through 2025 and into 2026, with warm personal rhetoric alongside tougher trade positioning.

(With inputs from The Indian Express)