Goa, March 29 -- US President Donald Trump on Friday praised Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "very smart man" and a "great friend," expressing optimism about the ongoing tariff discussions between the two nations. Speaking at the White House, Trump acknowledged their longstanding friendship, saying, "Prime Minister Modi was here just recently, and we have always been very good friends."

These remarks came despite Trump's earlier criticisms of India's high tariff rates on American goods. The US president has previously described India as one of the highest tariffing nations in the world, calling the tariffs "brutal." However, Trump expressed confidence that the ongoing discussions between the two countries would lead to positive ...