PM Modi Speaks On Trump's 'Clear Plan', Pakistan's Terror Links, Gives Friendly Advice To Ukraine President In Podcast

Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked about various countries in a podcast with Lex Fridman, which was shared publicly on Sunday (16 March), including the United States (US), China and India's neighbour Pakistan.

He commended US President Donald Trump for his "humility", which was seen during the Howdy Modi event in September 2019. On assassination attempt on the US President, Modi called Trump "resilient and determined".

Observing that Trump appears "far more prepared than before", Modi further remarked that the US President has a "clear roadmap in his mind with well-defined steps, each one designed to lead him toward his goals". He added that while Trump prioritises "America First", his own allegiance is towards "India First".

On India-China relations, Modi expressed the desire to revert back to the pre-2020 condition— the year the military standoff initiated along the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh. He emphasised that their primary objective is to prevent these disagreements from escalating into conflicts.

Regarding the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the PM expressed that a solution can only be achieved when both countries engage in negotiations. He further conveyed his intention to advise Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a "friendly way that brother, regardless of how many people stand with you in the world, there will never be a resolution on the battlefield… Ukraine may hold countless discussions with their allies, but it will bear no fruit”.

He further highlighted Pakistan's enduring contribution to promoting terrorism, underlining that the global community is now certain about the origin of terror. He stated that Pakistan has transformed into the nucleus of terror, inflicting vast harm not only on India but on the whole world.

"What kind of ideology thrives on bloodshed and the export of terror? And we are not the sole victims of this menace. Wherever terror strikes in the world, the trail somehow leads to Pakistan," Modi said referring to 9/11 attacks and Osama Bin Laden's connection to it.