Trump hints at India visit next year as trade talks restart

US President Donald Trump said he could travel to India next year and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “a great man” and “a friend,” adding that talks with New Delhi on a trade deal are “going great.”

He made the remarks at the White House while announcing a plan to cut prices of popular weight-loss drugs.

Asked if a 2026 trip was likely, Trump said “It could be, yes.” He added “He is a friend of mine, and we speak, and he wants me to go there. We will figure that out, I will go.”

A potential visit by Trump could intersect with India’s AI calendar, said a senior diplomat.

The government has scheduled the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi for 19–20 February, part of a larger IndiaAI Mission program.

There is no official word on US participation, but the timing gives both sides a marquee window if they want to showcase rapprochement after a bruising tariff fight.

Trump, meanwhile, linked his remarks to a broader reset in US-India talks.

In August, he had ordered an additional 25% levy on many Indian imports, taking total duties as high as 50% on affected lines, a move he tied to India’s purchases of Russian oil.

The tariff step deepened strains but left a window for negotiation and has since become the backdrop to the latest outreach.

Reporters noted the remark came during the same Oval Office event that briefly paused when a guest fainted, before the White House said the individual was fine and the briefing resumed.

Indian officials have kept their response measured.

New Delhi has said its crude sourcing is guided by consumer welfare and energy security, and that discussions with Washington on energy cooperation continue. Those positions were reiterated in recent public briefings.