Says Modi “not in a good mood” about China as he offers to mediate between Asian rivals.
From ‘Howdy Modi’ event in the US and ‘Namaste Trump’ event in India, leaders of the world’s oldest and largest democracies have lost no opportunity to show their bonhomie.
President Donald Trump did it again Thursday at a White House event when he professed his liking for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling him a “great gentleman.”
“And I like Modi. I like your prime minister a lot. He’s a great gentleman. A great gentleman,” he said responding to an Indian origin reporter’s question about the situation on the India-China border.
“I just got back from India,” Trump said referring to his February visit to India for the Namaste Trump event in Ahmedabad, in Modi’s home state of Gujarat. “I just beat COVID.”
When told that he was very popular in India and he was a rock star there, Trump said “I know. And they like me in India. I think they like me in India certainly more than the media likes me in this country.”
Asked if he was worried about the situation on the India China border, the President reiterated his offer for mediation between the two Asian giants even as he acknowledged that Modi was “not in a good mood” about China right now.
“Yeah, they have a big conflict going with India and China. Two countries with 1.4 billion people. Two countries with very powerful militaries,” he said.
“And India is not happy, and probably China is not happy,” Trump said. “But I can tell you, I did speak to Prime Minister Modi. He’s not — he’s not in a good mood about what’s going on with China.”
Asked about his tweet Wednesday about mediating between India and China on the border issue, he said, “I would do that. You know, I would do that.”
“If they — if they thought it would help if I were the mediator or the arbiter, I would do that. So, we’ll see,” Trump added.
Meanwhile, in a calibrated reaction to the Trump offer, an External Affairs Ministry spokesman told reporters online, “We are engaged with the Chinese side to peacefully resolve it.”
Earlier in April too, Trump had called Modi “great” when the Indian leader allowed export of anti malarial drug hydroxychloroquine to the US to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
“I bought millions of doses (of hydroxychloroquine). More than 29 million. I spoke to Prime Minister Modi, a lot of it (hydroxychloroquine) comes out of India. I asked him if he would release it? He was great. He was really good.”