United States President Donald Trump recalled a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that Modi had requested permission to meet him.
Speaking at the House GOP Member Retreat, Trump addressed India’s demand for US-made Apache helicopters, noting that the country has been waiting for five years for their delivery.
Trump said that India ordered 68 Apaches and "Prime Minister Modi came to see me, ‘Sir, may I see you please’. Yes."
The US president said that Modi was “not that happy with me” because of the tariffs imposed by Washington on Delhi for its purchases of Russian oil.
"I have a very good relationship with him. He’s not that happy with me because you know they're paying a lot of tariffs now because they're not doing the oil, but they are, they've now reduced it very substantially, as you know, from Russia,” Trump said.
Trump has imposed 50% tariffs on India, including 25% for its purchases of Russian oil.
On Sunday, the US president said that Washington could raise tariffs on India if New Delhi doesn't meet its demand to curb purchases of Russian oil.
"Modi [...] knew I was not happy, and it was important to make me happy," Trump added.
"They do trade, and we can raise tariffs on them very quickly," Trump said in response to a question on India's Russian oil purchases.
The US doubled import tariffs on Indian goods to 50% last year as punishment for its heavy buying of Russian oil. Despite the hefty tariffs, India's exports to the US leapt in November.
