The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday firmly rejected recent assertions made by former US President Donald Trump regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi, emphasizing that the relationship between the two leaders is cordial and grounded in mutual respect.
MEA's Firm Rebuttal to Trump's Narrative
Addressing the weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal directly countered the claims. "Prime Minister Modi and President Trump have a friendly relationship and have always addressed each other with mutual respect as per diplomatic norms," Jaiswal stated. This clarification came in response to comments Trump made earlier this week at the House GOP Member Retreat.
Trump had alleged that PM Modi personally approached him to express concerns over delays in the delivery of US-made Apache attack helicopters, addressing him as "sir." The former president narrated, "Prime Minister Modi came to see me, ‘Sir, may I see you please’." Trump has frequently claimed that most world leaders, except Russia's Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping, address him with this honorific.
Fact-Checking the Helicopter Deal Claims
Trump further asserted that India had ordered 68 Apache helicopters and had been waiting for years for their delivery. However, official records present a starkly different picture, highlighting significant inaccuracies in Trump's account.
The factual procurement details are as follows:
- India has ordered a total of 28 AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopters from the United States, not 68.
- This procurement was completed in two separate phases, not as a single large order.
- All 28 Apache helicopters were delivered by December 2025.
- Additionally, India purchased 15 CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopters from Boeing, delivered between 2019 and 2020.
Even when combining both deals, the total number of helicopters amounts to 43, which is 25 less than the figure cited by Trump. There is no record with India’s Ministry of Defence or under the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program of any additional Apache orders beyond the confirmed 28.
Broader Pattern and Other Inaccurate Remarks
This incident appears to follow a pattern where Trump's public statements contain exaggerated figures and timelines, as noted by critics. He has previously made similar unverified claims, such as forcing India and Pakistan into a truce by threatening tariffs.
The MEA's response was measured and specific, focusing on reaffirming the diplomatic nature of the leaders' ties. The ministry also took the opportunity to reject another set of inaccurate remarks, this time by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Lutnick had suggested that "PM Modi’s reluctance to call Trump" delayed a US-India trade deal. The MEA labeled these comments as "inaccurate," with spokesperson Jaiswal noting that PM Modi and President Trump had spoken on eight occasions in 2025 alone.
The ministry's statements serve to correct the record on multiple fronts, upholding the protocols of diplomatic engagement and ensuring factual accuracy in the public discourse surrounding India-US relations.
