“Sir, may I see you please?” Trump’s latest claim on PM Modi

U.S. President Donald Trump has again revisited his interactions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi , this time suggesting that India’s defence purchases were shaped by his personal engagement and trade pressure.

Speaking to House Republicans in Washington, Trump claimed India had ordered “68 Apache helicopters” and that Modi personally sought a meeting with him, using the anecdote to underline U.S. defence manufacturing strength. Official records, however, show India’s Apache acquisitions stand at 28 helicopters 22 for the Indian Air Force contracted in 2015 and delivered by 2020, and six for the Indian Army ordered in 2020 and fully delivered in 2025.

Sources familiar with India’s defence procurement process say the Apache purchases were long-planned capability inductions , aligned with operational requirements and approved through established government-to-government channels. India has already inducted and operationalised the platforms, and any follow-on acquisitions if undertaken would be routine extensions of an existing fleet , not responses to episodic diplomatic pressure.

Trump also referenced trade frictions, saying Modi was “not that happy” over U.S. tariffs, including measures announced after the Ukraine conflict. Indian officials, however, note that defence acquisitions are decoupled from short-term trade disputes , and decisions are driven by force-structure needs, budget cycles, and availability timelines rather than presidential rhetoric.

Modi and Trump last met in person in Washington on February 13, 2025 , during an official visit. They have also spoken by phone on multiple occasions in 2025. While Trump’s remarks seek to frame defence deals as outcomes of his leverage, sources stress that India’s Apache programme reflects continuity and planning , not coercion underscoring a procurement path that would have proceeded with or without U.S. tariff actions.