US President Donald Trump made an unannounced live phone call to a diplomatic event at the UD embassy in New Delhi on Sunday, using the ocassion to publicly reaffirm his admiration for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and pledge unconditional American support to India.
The call was part of a high-profile celebration marking the 250th anniversary of American independence, which drew a distinguished gathering of diplomats, senior government officials, and business leaders to the US Embassy in New Delhi. US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor facilitated the live connection, putting the President on speaker for the assembled audience. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar were both present at the venue.
Trump told attendees he loved India and described Prime Minister Modi as a great friend. "India can count on me 100 per cent," he said, adding that he was "a big, big fan" of the Prime Minister and asked Ambassador Gor to pass along his regards to Modi personally.
Trump also spoke about the state of the American economy, telling attendees that the country was setting records on growth and markets, and said that whatever India wanted, it had his support. Turning to his Secretary of State, Trump praised Rubio as the greatest in the history of the office.
Ambassador Gor, who facilitated the call, characterised the India-US partnership as the foundation of a new era, with both nations actively delivering on their commitments to each other.
The event also featured a performance by Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman, whose anthem Jai Ho was highlighted as the evening's centrepiece, a gesture widely read as a cultural bridge between the two countries at a moment of strong bilateral engagement.
The call comes days before India hosts the Quad security dialogue in New Delhi on May 26, bringing together the foreign ministers of India, the United States, Australia, and Japan under External Affairs Minister Jaishankar's chairmanship. The timing of Trump's public display of warmth toward India is seen by observers as a signal of continued diplomatic alignment ahead of the meeting. Neither the White House nor the Indian government issued a formal statement following the call.`