India, Nov. 7 -- United States President Donald Trump on Thursday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi as "a great man" and "a friend," while suggesting he may visit India next year to further strengthen trade ties between the two countries.

Speaking to reporters at the White House after announcing a new deal to lower prices of weight loss drugs, Trump said his discussions with Modi were "going great."

"He (PM Modi) largely stopped buying from Russia. And he is a friend of mine, and we speak. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a great man. He is a friend of mine, and we speak and he wants me to go there. We will figure that out, I will go... Prime Minister Modi is a great man and I will be going," Trump said.

When asked directly if he pla...