The US President, Donald Trump, has indicated that he may visit India next year, signalling a potential deepening of ties between Washington and New Delhi and raising questions over energy and geopolitical strategy, Vedomosti reports.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said: “He [Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi] is my friend, and we are in touch. He wants me to come over there. When we all get this removed, I’ll go… Prime Minister Modi is a magnificent man, and I am going to go” the agency reports.

On a follow-up question as to whether the trip might take place next year, the American leader replied in the affirmative

President Trump’s remarks follow his comment on October 15 that Modi had allegedly assured him of India’s intentions to scale back Russian oil imports, a claim that intersects with broader concerns about energy supply, trade and alignment in the wake of the Ukraine conflict Vedomosti adds.

Indian officials, for their part, have emphasised that the country will act to protect the interests of its consumers amid a volatile energy environment, and that its continuing imports of Russian oil are directed by that imperative. A visit by President Trump to India would carry both symbolic and strategic weight. India remains a key player in global energy markets, and New Delhi’s relationship with Moscow has increasingly drawn scrutiny from Western capitals. Washington, by contrast, has made clear its interest in strengthening ties with India as part of a wider realignment of alliances.

For India, hosting a US President would also highlight its role as a central pivot in the Indo-Pacific region. At the same time, energy security remains a driving concern for New Delhi: despite pressure to diversify away from Russia, recent Russian oil flows to India have continued amid favourable pricing and New Delhi’s own need to secure stable supplies.

Observers caution, however, that while the talk of a visit is notable, the practicalities of scheduling, bilateral agenda-setting and the broader context of US–India trade and strategic priorities could complicate the delivery of such an outcome.