'Modi's weird status': Chile President Gabriel Font lauds PM, says he can talk to Trump, Putin and Zelenskyy

Chile President Gabriel Boric Font praised India's unique geopolitical advantage of being able to engage with countries that are not in good terms with each other.

Calling India a key geopolitical player, Font said Prime Minister Narendra Modi can talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin, US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, something that no other leaders can do.

"India is committed to peace in the world. PM Modi has a weird status nowadays that he can talk to every leader of the world," the Chilean president said, "You are supporting Trump, Zelenskyy, the European Union, and the Latin American leaders in BRICS or Iran."

On Tuesday, President Droupadi Murmu hosted a banquet at the Rashtrapati Bhavan to honour her Chilean counterpart. Speaking on the occasion said Chile wants to deepen its ties with India, adding that they do not depend on one special country.

Thanking President Murmu for the warm reception on his first state visit to India, President Font said, "I am here for the first time for a State visit. I want to thank you for the warm welcome that we have received here. For the past 16 years, no one from Chile has come here, and in that 16 years, India has changed a lot."

President Font is in India from April 1 to 5 to mark the 76th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Chile. The two sides negotiated deals in trade, health, defence and natural resources.

PM Modi said the countries might be at different ends of the world map with oceans separating them, but "nature has linked us with unique similarities."