Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an interview with podcaster and scientist Lex Fridman, on Mar. 16, shared his views on a host of issues concerning India, while highlighting his bonding with US President Donald Trump.
During the interview, PM Modi praised President Trump as a man of “courage” adding that the US President has a "clear roadmap in his mind with well-defined steps, each leading him towards his goals".
Moi recalled his meeting with Trump at the 2019 'Howdy, Modi' event in Houston, PM Modi said that he will always remember how the US President sat in the audience while he addressed the crowd, a gesture that PM Modi said was “remarkable” on Trump's part.
PM Modi recalled how the stadium was fully packed at the Houston event, which is uncommon for a political rally. “The Indian diaspora had gathered in large numbers. Both of us delivered speeches, and he sat down below, listening to me speak. Now, that's his humility,” PM Modi told Fridman, an MIT research scientist and host of the popular YouTube podcast.
A wonderful conversation with @lexfridman, covering a wide range of subjects. Do watch! https://t.co/G9pKE2RJqh
March 16, 2025PM Modi also praised Trump for his “decisiveness” and compared his ‘America First' approach to India's own focus on boosting domestic growth.
He also spoke about the assassination attempt on Trump last year, in which he nearly escaped with a gunshot wound to his ear. “When he was shot during the recent campaign, I saw the same resilient and determined President Trump. The one who walked hand in hand with me in that stadium,” he told Fridman.
Modi On Relations With China
During the three-hour long podcast, which was released on Mar. 16, PM Modi also discussed India's relationship with China. Referring to his recent talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, PM Modi said that normalcy was returning to the India-China relationship following the deadly Galwan clash of 2020, which had severely strained the ties. PM Modi had met President Xi in October 2024 on the sidelines of the BRICS summit.
However, PM Modi said that it would take time to restore the situation since there has been a long gap of five years. He also stressed that India-China ties were critical to global peace.
“Both nations have ancient cultures and civilisations…For centuries, India and China have learned from each other. Together, they have always contributed to the global good in some way,” PM Modi remarked.
“It has always been about learning from each other and understanding one another," PM Modi said, as he acknowledged the ongoing border tensions. "We are now working to restore conditions to how they were before 2020. Slowly but surely, trust, enthusiasm, and energy will return. But it will take time,” he added.
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