Trump Praises PM Modi as 'Great Man, Friend'; Hints at 'Good' India-US Trade Deal

• Donald Trump praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "great man and a friend" during an address to Moneycontrol at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
• Trump expressed confidence in reaching a "good deal" for India-US trade, despite ongoing high-level discussions to resolve a prolonged trade deadlock.
• The trade deadlock is fueled by tariffs, geopolitical tensions, and disputes in energy and agriculture sectors.
• Earlier, Trump linked India's trade behavior to its purchase of Russian oil, claiming New Delhi reduced imports to "make me happy" and warned of rapidly deteriorating trade consequences if it didn't align with Washington's stance.
• The Trump administration currently imposes 50% tariffs on most Indian exports, partly due to India's ties with Russia and BRICS, while India has retaliated with tariffs on some US agricultural imports.

Why It Matters: Trump praised PM Modi and hinted at a positive India-US trade deal amidst ongoing tariff and energy disputes.