NEW DELHI (Feb 13, 2026) — The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has addressed a resurfaced video of U.S. President Donald Trump making a “bizarre” remark about Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking at a weekly briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that while he had not seen the specific clip, the government would “take appropriate action” if its contents were verified.
The Controversy: “I Don’t Want to Destroy His Career”
The video in question dates back to an October 2025 press conference. In it, Trump praised the Prime Minister but added a peculiar clarification:
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The Quote: “Modi is a great man. He loves Trump… I don’t want you to take the word ‘love’ any differently. I don’t want to destroy his political career.“
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Context: Trump made the comment jokingly while claiming PM Modi had assured him India would stop buying Russian oil (a claim New Delhi later clarified was a misunderstanding of India’s energy security priorities).
Trade & Bilateral Ties
Beyond the viral video, the MEA clarified several key points regarding the India-U.S. Interim Trade Agreement reached on February 7, 2026:
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Shared Understanding: Jaiswal confirmed that recent revisions to the U.S. factsheet now align with the joint statement issued by both nations.
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Russia Relations: Despite U.S. pressure, the MEA reaffirmed that India’s engagement with Russia across trade, defense, and culture “will continue to grow.”
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Trade Goals: Both sides are working toward an interim deal that includes India’s intent to purchase $500 billion in U.S. energy and tech products over the next five years.
