Finance
During an interview with Axios, US President Donald Trump hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “great leader” and a “very tough cookie,” naming him one of the foreign leaders he most admires.
During the conversation, Trump repeatedly praised PM Modi for the attributes he believes constitute great leadership, citing the Indian Prime Minister’s time in office, political strength, and international status.
Reflecting on the leaders he met at the recent G7 conference, Trump mentioned Prime Minister Modi’s attendance among the invited international leaders.
“(PM) Modi of India, great guy,” Trump said while describing the gathering of heads of government and state leaders.
Later, when asked how he defines a great leader, Trump cited PM Modi as an example of political stability in a country that had previously seen frequent changes in leadership.
“All my life I’ve watched India, they just kept changing, changing, changing. Somebody would there, be there for six months and then a year. And then all of a sudden, Prime Minister Modi ends up there. He’s been there for more than 12 years, very solid,” Trump said.
Trump said PM Modi combines calmness with political toughness.
“He does it through, like, there’s a great calmness and yet he’s not a calm person. He’s a very tough guy. I know him very well,” he said.
The US President later named PM Modi among the global leaders he most respects when asked which figures stand out for their ability to exercise power and leadership.
“Well, I think (PM) Modi is — very good. Yeah,” Trump said. “(PM) Modi’s a great leader.”
He also referred to India’s growing global weight and demographic importance.
“He’s, uh, 1.5 billion people. He’s actually the biggest. India’s actually the biggest,” Trump said.
Trump noted what he described as India’s recent economic performance and credited PM Modi’s approach to international affairs.
“They’ve had some very good numbers announced,” he said. “He stays out of wars, which is smart.”
The President also offered a more personal assessment of the Indian leader.
“I’ve seen, you know, I know the, the real PM Modi is a very tough cookie,” Trump said.
During the wide-ranging conversation, Trump also praised Chinese President Xi Jinping, calling him “great”, and cited both Xi and PM Modi as examples of influential leaders who command respect in their respective countries.
The interview covered a broad range of topics, including the G7 summit, China, Iran, artificial intelligence and US foreign policy. Throughout the discussion, Trump argued that leaders who rise to the highest offices tend to possess uncommon abilities and resilience.
“Look, they’re all smart. You can’t get to that level without being smart,” he said. “To be in these positions, you have to be smart, you have to be tough.”
PM Modi has been India’s Prime Minister since May 2014, making him one of the longest-serving elected leaders in a major democracy. During his term, India has become the world’s most populous country and one of the fastest-growing major economies, while also expanding its diplomatic and strategic engagement across borders.
During Trump’s first term in office, he and PM Modi developed a close working relationship that was highlighted by big public events in both nations, such as the “Howdy, Modi” rally in Houston and the “Namaste Trump” event in Ahmedabad. Since then, the US and India have expanded their collaboration in areas such as defense and technology, as well as commerce, energy, and Indo-Pacific security.
Source: IANS
