Modi great leader whether Trump says so or not: Fadnavis on foreign policy

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a great leader irrespective of whether US President Donald Trump says it or not, and added that India frames its own foreign policy, which cannot be dictated to it by any other country.

His statement comes in the wake of Trump's praise of PM Modi.

Trump on Friday said, "I'll always be friends with (Narendra) Modi, he's a great prime minister. He's great. I'll always be friends, but I just don't like what he's doing at this particular moment."

The relations between New Delhi and Washington are on a major downturn after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent, including 25 per cent additional duties for India's purchase of Russian crude oil. India described the US action as "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable" When asked about the US President's remarks, CM Fadnavis said, "Whether Trump says it or not, PM Modi is great. All world leaders feel that he is a great leader. American stand these days is... some praise us and some try to pull us down.  But this is a new India...Modiji's India. We decide our own foreign policy and nobody can dictate it to us." The country's march to become Viksit Bharat will continue, he added. Fadnavis was speaking to reporters after the immersion of Lord Ganesh idol, installed at his official residence 'Varsha' in south Mumbai, in an artificial tank there.

On the occasion, he appealed to citizens to bid farewell to Lord Ganesh with traditional fervour and in a peaceful manner. "All of us bid goodbye to the Lord with a heavy heart and with a sense of happiness that he will return next year," he said.

The 10-day Ganesh festival, which began on August 27, drew to a close on Saturday.