Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday broke his silence on the bilateral relationship with the US, terming it “very positive and forward-looking”, a day after President Donald Trump lamented the loss of India and Russia “to deepest, darkest, China”.

Modi’s remark on the “Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership” came after Trump dialled down his own rhetoric on India.

Responding to a question on whether he was ready to reset relations with India, Trump said: “I will always be friends with Modi. He’s (a) great Prime Minister. He’s great. I’ll always be friends but I just don’t like what he’s doing at this particular moment. India and the United States have a special relationship. There’s nothing to worry about. We just have moments on occasion.”

Citing this portion of Trump’s media conference at the White House, Modi in his X post said: “Deeply appreciate and fully reciprocate President Trump’s sentiments and positive assessment of our ties. India and the US have a very positive and forward-looking Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership.”

Why the Prime Minister chose to respond to Trump’s comments at this juncture was not clear, considering that the President has not offered any concession to India, barring the assurance that there is nothing to worry about. External affairs minister S. Jaishankar also did not throw light on what had changed.

Asked for his comments by ANI on the Prime Minister’s post, Jaishankar said: “Prime Minister Modi attaches enormous importance to our partnership with the US. Where President Trump is concerned, he (the Prime Minister) has always had a very good personal equation with President Trump. But the point is that we remain engaged with the US, and at this time, I can’t say more than that.”

Since Trump began claiming that he had brokered peace between India and Pakistan during Operation Sindoor and ranting against New Delhi over tariffs and buying Russian oil, Modi has not publicly commented on the relationship, barring an oblique reference in his reply to the debate on the stand-off with Pakistan in Parliament during the monsoon session.

Modi’s decision to respond to Trump’s remarks indicates the possibility of a rapprochement after the US President took a wrecking ball to the relationship built over the past 25 years through a bipartisan consensus in both capitals. But, given how Trump conducts diplomacy — publicly and with an eye on his core constituency — no one is willing to wager a guess.

Trump’s remarks came a day after India made it clear that Modi would not attend the Brics leaders’ virtual summit being convened by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Monday to discuss joint retaliation against US tariffs and trading in local currencies. Jaishankar will represent India at the meeting.

Dwelling on the latest developments on the India-US front, former foreign secretary Nirupama Menon Rao said on X: “We still need a return to more composed, mutual respect. Domestic sentiment in India is deeply bruised. The reactions have been loud and clear. President Trump’s earlier remarks, pouring scorn on India, have stirred the pot. The steadying process must continue. Public opinion in India will gradually calm itself, but the relationship, even if it enters a process of recovery, will need constant evaluation.

“That is where the policy makers on both sides have to assume leading roles. There is ballast to this relationship, built up over the years and that in the end, should help neutralise the acrimony, if the Trump-Modi relationship heals, and reconciliation between these two friends is affirmed. Today’s posts are an opening overture, but true healing needs more than texts. Personalised diplomacy is always unpredictable, especially as practised by the American President; there is a cat-and-mouse tone about such moves. There are caveats. But a tentative gesture towards rapprochement is seen today, it’s not a full thaw, though,” Rao added.