India-US partnership stronger than ever: Modi tweets after Trump praises Indian PM

In the backdrop of New Delhi's decision to export anti-malaria drug Hydroxychloroquine following a "retaliation" threat from the US President, Trump in his latest response said on Twitter, "Extraordinary times require even closer cooperation between friends. Thank you India and the Indian people for the decision on HCQ. Will not be forgotten! Thank you Prime Minister @NarendraModi for your strong leadership in helping not just India, but humanity, in this fight!"

Replying to the US President, Modi tweeted, "Fully agree with you President @realDonaldTrump. Times like these bring friends closer. The India-US partnership is stronger than ever. India shall do everything possible to help humanity's fight against COVID-19. We shall win this together."

After India said yes to the export of Hydroxychloroquine to the COVID-19-hit nations, Trump on Tuesday praised Modi calling him "great".

In an interview with Fox News, Trump said as quoted by media, "I bought millions of doses. More than 29 million. I spoke to PM Modi, a lot of it comes out of India. I asked him if he would release it? He was Great. He was really good.

You know they put a stop because they wanted it for India. But there is a lot of good things coming from that."

India has been treating its several COVID-19 patients with Hydrooxychloroquine as a "potential" anti-Coronavirus drug though no scientific research has backed the treatment yet. 

Earlier on Sunday, Trump during a conversation with Modi urged New Delhi to export Hydrooxychloroquine.

After he had learnt about the news that India might not export the drug, Trump, who calls Modi a "friend", in his latest statement said, "I don't like that decision, I didn't hear that was his decision. I know that he stopped it for other countries. I spoke to him yesterday, we had a very good talk and we'll see whether or not that's his."

"I spoke to him Sunday morning, called him, and I said, we'd appreciate you allowing our supply to come out. If he doesn't allow it to come out. That would be OK. But of course, there may be retaliation. Why wouldn't there be," he told a news briefing on Monday.