Trump praises PM Modi as 'fantastic leader', hints at favourable trade deal

President Donald Trump has expressed high praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing him as a "fantastic leader" while suggesting that a significant trade agreement between the United States and India is on the horizon. The President made these remarks during his visit to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, in an exclusive response to a question from Moneycontrol regarding the progress of the India-US trade agreement.

The brief statement signaled a shift toward a more collaborative economic relationship with New Delhi, despite recent tensions regarding trade imbalances and tariffs, which have reached as high as 50 percent on certain Indian goods. Speaking after his address at the WEF's 56th Annual Meeting, the President emphasized the strong personal rapport he shares with the Indian Prime Minister. "I have great respect for your Prime Minister. He’s a fantastic man and a friend of mine, and we’re going to have a good deal," Trump stated.

The US economic boom to benefit the world

During his keynote at the WEF, Trump argued that the resurgence of the American economy serves as the primary "economic engine of the planet," asserting that global prosperity is fundamentally linked to U.S. success. He used the platform to highlight the rapid transformation of the domestic landscape over the past year, claiming that the current American turnaround is the most dramatic in history and provides a stable foundation for the rest of the world.

"I come to this year's WEF with truly phenomenal news from America. Yesterday marked the one-year anniversary of my inauguration, and after 12 months back in the White House, the economy is booming, growth is exploding, productivity is surging, investment is soaring, incomes are rising, inflation is being defeated, the previously open and dangerous border is now closed and virtually impenetrable, and the United States is amidst the fastest and most dramatic economic turnaround in the country's history," the US President said.