- US President Trump said PM Modi personally requested early delivery of Apache helicopters
- India ordered 68 Apache helicopters and PM Modi addressed Trump as "sir"
- Trump acknowledged strained ties due to tariffs India pays amid Russian oil purchases
US President Donald Trump said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly raised an issue with him over the delivery of American-made Apache helicopters and called him "sir". "I mean, I had India coming to me, sir. I've been waiting five years; we're changing it. We're changing it," Trump said on Tuesday while he discussed defence manufacturing timelines and foreign military sales.
Speaking at the House GOP Member Retreat, Trump said that India approached him for early delivery of the Apaches that they had ordered years ago. "India ordered 68 Apaches, and Prime Minister Modi came to see me. Sir. May I see you, please? Yes," he said, recounting the interaction. He also added that he has "a very good relationship with him."
Trump later quickly acknowledged that the relationship between them is strained due to trade policy. "He (Modi) is not that happy with me because, you know, they're paying a lot of tariffs now," he said.
Trump added, "But now they [India] have reduced it very substantially, buying oil from Russia."
However, Trump has made several unsubstantiated claims about India and PM Modi over the past few months.
The tariffs, totalling 50 per cent, were imposed due to India's significant purchases of Russian oil, which the US sees as supporting Russia's economy amid the Ukraine conflict.
Trump's remarks came a day after he warned that Washington could further raise tariffs on Indian goods if New Delhi does not address US concerns over Russian oil imports. The Republican leader defended the tariffs during his address, asserting that the US was benefiting financially because of the taxes.
He then pivoted to talking about how the weapons system was taking too long to reach the American forces and foreign buyers. "The F-35s, it takes too long to get them, the Apache helicopter," and argued that defence contractors should speed up the production.
The President told the Republican conference that his administration was pressing US defence companies to deliver equipment faster, including to allies and partners.
India has been one of the largest buyers of US defence equipment over the past decade, purchasing transport aircraft, helicopters and surveillance platforms as part of a steadily expanding strategic partnership with Washington. Apache attack helicopters are a key component of India's army and air force modernisation plans.
(With inputs from agencies)
