PM Modi and Donald Trump are friends. How their bromance bloomed

Donald Trump is returning as the President of the United States. He won 279 Electoral College votes, more than the 270 required to claim the US presidency.

On Wednesday (November 6), Prime Minister Narendra Modi dialled the President-elect, congratulating him on his victory. Trump reportedly conveyed to the Indian leader that India is “a magnificent country” and “the whole world loves PM Modi”.

World leaders extended wishes to Trump throughout the day as he defeated Kamala Harris in the White House race. PM Modi was among the first leaders to congratulate his “friend”.

“Heartiest congratulations my friend…on your historic election victory. As you build on the successes of your previous term, I look forward to renewing our collaboration to further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership. Together, let’s work for the betterment of our people and to promote global peace, stability and prosperity,” he wrote on X.

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Heartiest congratulations my friend @realDonaldTrump on your historic election victory. As you build on the successes of your previous term, I look forward to renewing our collaboration to further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership. Together,… pic.twitter.com/u5hKPeJ3SY

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 6, 2024

The camaraderie between Modi and Trump was visible during the Republican leader’s first term at the White House.

Let’s take a closer look.

PM Modi’s bonhomie with Trump

In June 2017, PM Modi was the first foreign dignitary to have dinner with the then American President Trump at the White House. The Indian leader met the Republican for the first time in Washington DC during his US trip.

Embracing each other, the two leaders spoke of their countries’ warm relations. They also took a hard stance against terrorism while issuing a warning to Pakistan. The Trump administration’s strong words against Pakistan-based threats were seen as a big victory for India.

Addressing a joint press conference at the White House, Trump said, “The relationship between India and the United States has never been stronger, never been better.” He also dubbed himself and PM Modi as “world leaders in social media”.

On his part, Modi said the US was India’s “primary partner” for its social and economic evolution, adding that his plan for a “new India” coincided with Trump’s “vision for ‘making America great again’”.

A ‘Howdy, Modi’ rally in Houston, Texas further displayed Modi’s friendship with Trump, who was also present at the event. “I’m so thrilled to be here in Texas with one of America’s greatest, most devoted and most loyal friends, Prime Minister Modi of India,” the then US president had said. He called the rally a “profoundly historic event” attended by 50,000 people.

Addressing the crowd, PM Modi referred to Trump as “warm, friendly, accessible, energetic and full of wit”. “From CEO to commander-in-chief, from boardrooms to the Oval Office, from studios to the global stage… he has left a lasting impact everywhere,” the Indian leader said.

It was at this rally that Modi endorsed Trump’s re-election bid, chanting: “Ab ki baar, Trump sarkar”. This sparked a backlash from several quarters.

In 2020, Trump visited India and his friendship with PM Modi again caught eyeballs. The duo attended the ‘Namaste Trump’ rally in Ahmedabad, with 100,000 people assembling at the Motera cricket stadium, later named after Modi.

Speaking at the event, Trump said, “You have done a great honour to our country. We will remember you forever, from this day onwards India will always hold a special place in our hearts.”

There were two other times that Trump and Modi could have met but did not ultimately.
India had invited Trump to the 2019 Republic Day celebrations but the White House said he could not accept due to “scheduling constraints”.

In September this year, Trump called Modi a “fantastic” leader”, hinting at a possible meeting with him during the Indian leader’s visit to the US. However, as Trump was again up for a re-election bid, New Delhi, wary of past criticism, steered clear of any such meeting, as per Indian Express.

Last month, Trump said Modi was his “friend” and the “nicest human being”. “Modi, he’s a friend of mine and also the nicest human being. Before him being appointed as the Prime Minister, India was very ‘unstable’. On the outside, he looks like he’s your father. He is the nicest and a total killer,” he said during an episode of the Flagrant podcast.

India-US ties under Trump

India had robust ties with the US under Trump, especially in sectors like defence and security.
India’s partnership with the US enjoys bipartisan support in Washington, meaning who sits in the White House does not signal a major difference.

The two sides focused on a “free and open Indo-Pacific” to counter China’s rising influence in the region. Trump 1.0 also revived the Quad grouping, consisting of the US, India, Japan and Australia.

Beijing opposes Quad as it views it as an alternative to its own Belt and Road initiative.
Under Trump, trade between India and the US became a sticking point. His “America First” policy led to a dispute with New Delhi, with the US imposing tariffs on Indian goods and India reciprocating in kind.

Trump, with JD Vance as his Vice President, is also likely to adopt a strict America First policy, penalising countries that impose high taxes on US products and services.

During his 2024 campaign, Trump called India a “very big abuser” of its trade relationship with the US.

While China will mostly bear the brunt of any potential US tariffs, New Delhi may not go scot-free either. India will need to use diplomacy to blunt the impact.

With inputs from agencies

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