US President Donald Trump on Friday (Mar 28) described Indian prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "very smart man" and a "great friend" of his, as he emphasised that the tariff talks between US and India would "work out very well".

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This comes as Trump, since taking over the White House, has repeatedly criticised the South Asian nation for its high tariffs.

What did Trump say about Modi?

Responding to questions during an interaction with reporters at the swearing-in ceremony of the US attorney for New Jersey, Alina Habba, Donald Trump noted that, "Prime Minister Modi was here just recently and we have always been very good friends".

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"India is one of the highest tariffing nations in the world.… it's brutal, it's brutal," he reiterated.

"They're very smart. He (Modi) is a very smart man and a great friend of mine. We had very good talks. I think it's going to work out very well between India and our country."

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The Modi-Trump equation

The two leaders share a close bond. During Trump's first term in office, they held massive events in honour of each other — 'Howdy Modi,' and 'Namaste Trump'. 

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Recently, in February, the two leaders met in Washington, DC. They held vital bilateral discussions shortly after Trump assumed office as the President of the United States for the second time.

The much-awaited Modi-Trump meeting was nothing short of a blast from the past, with their obvious camaraderie and no dearth of praises for each other.

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At the time, welcoming Modi, Trump enveloped him in a bear hug before the leaders settled in for their crucial talks.

"I am delighted to see you back at the White House...We missed you, we missed you a lot," the US president told the Indian PM.

At the time, Trump stated that India was a very high tariff nation and vowed to impose reciprocal tariffs on New Delhi as well as other countries that impose levies on American goods. These tariffs are set to kick in on April 12.

(With inputs from agencies)