New Delhi: US President Donald Trump’s recent remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi have caused unease in New Delhi, but the Indian government has decided not to issue an official response for now, opting for diplomatic restraint.
Trump claimed that Prime Minister Modi came to him seeking a meeting and said the Indian leader was “not that happy” with him over the tariffs imposed by Washington due to India’s purchase of Russian oil. The additional penalty has taken total US tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent.
The US President also stated that India had been waiting for five years for Apache attack helicopters and claimed that New Delhi had ordered 68 such helicopters. Indian government sources, however, rejected this assertion, clarifying that India has purchased only 28 Apache helicopters from the US — 22 for the Indian Air Force and six for the Indian Army all of which have already been delivered.
Officials pointed out that the first Apache deal was signed in September 2015 during the Obama administration and deliveries were completed during Trump’s first term. The second deal, signed during Trump’s visit to India in February 2020, faced delays but was completed by December 2025.
While political voices in India have called for a strong rebuttal, sources in the diplomatic establishment have advised caution, saying sharp public reactions could be counter-productive, especially when India–US trade negotiations are still underway.
This is not the first time Trump has made controversial claims about India. In the past, New Delhi has countered factual inaccuracies but has largely avoided direct confrontation, maintaining focus on broader strategic and economic engagement with Washington.
