US President Donald Trump offered strong praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France, saying India would continue to play a major role on the global stage as long as PM Modi remained in office.Speaking in Évian-les-Bains when asked whether he expected India to play a role in developments in West Asia, Trump replied: “Yes, I do. I think India plays a big role in everything. As long as he (PM Narendra Modi) is the leader, India is going to play a big role.”The remarks came during the first face-to-face meeting between Trump and Modi in more than 16 months, as the two leaders held bilateral talks alongside the G7 Summit. Trump also spoke warmly about his relationship with the PM Modi, describing their latest exchanges as productive and pointing to growing ties between New Delhi and Washington.“We had some great meetings in France… It’s a G7. We have a G2 coming up, and then we have a G20 coming up,” Trump said. “We had, in particular, some very good conversations with Prime Minister Modi of India. We’re doing trade deals… A lot of things are happening between the United States and India.”The US President went on to praise economic cooperation between the two countries, saying: “The Prime Minister is building a lot in the United States. He’s spending a lot of money in the United States, so we appreciate that job.”Trump also underlined the personal rapport he has maintained with Modi over the years.“But I just want to say he’s been my friend for a long time now, and we’ve always had a great relationship, and it’s great to be with you,” he said.