US President Donald Trump on Sunday described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “great” friend and said India could count on him “100 per cent”, during an event in New Delhi marking the 250th anniversary of American independence.

The celebration, held at Bharat Mandapam, was attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Ambassador Sergio Gor.

In a phone conversation with Gor that was played for the audience, Trump praised Modi and highlighted the growing ties between the two countries. “I love the Prime Minister. Modi is great, he is my friend,” Trump said. “I am a big, big fan of Prime Minister Modi.” The US President also said India could rely on Washington whenever needed.

“We’ve never been closer to India, and India can count on me 100 per cent and our country,” Trump said. “If they ever need help, they know where to call.” Trump further claimed that the US economy was performing strongly, saying the country was witnessing record economic growth and stock market performance.

The event featured a musical performance by A R Rahman, who performed popular songs including “Dil Se”, “Maa Tujhe Salaam” and “Tere Bina”.

Trump also praised Rubio, calling him the “greatest secretary of state in the history of the US”, before concluding his remarks by asking attendees to convey his greetings to Modi. In his address, Rubio described India as a key strategic partner of the United States.

Jaishankar, meanwhile, said the American Declaration of Independence had articulated values such as liberty, rule of law, free speech and accountable governance, ideas that resonated strongly with India’s democratic traditions.

He noted that the makers of the Indian Constitution had drawn lessons from the American independence movement and said ties between the two nations had deepened through stronger economic and technological cooperation.

Highlighting the growing convergence between the two countries, Jaishankar said their shared identities as democracies, market economies and open societies had helped overcome the “hesitations of history”.

He also credited the Indian diaspora in the US for strengthening political understanding between the two nations. “The world is going through an era of transition, and this makes a stronger India-US partnership even more important,” Jaishankar said, adding that both countries shared an interest in de-risking the global economy and creating more choices for the world.

The evening also included celebrations for Rubio’s birthday and concluded with a performance by the American band Village People.
(With PTI inputs)