Claim: Indian Prime Minister Modi is seen smiling even after Trump insults him at a press conference
Fact: Trump is referring to former American President Joe Biden in his answer, not Indian PM Modi
Indian Prime Minister Modi arrived in the US from France on February 12, 2025. He was hosted by American President Trump for their first bilateral talks since assuming the US presidency. Modi met with Trump at the White House and discussed strategic India-US ties on various key issues. US President Donald Trump held a press conference, along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where several American and Indian Journalists asked questions about various topics. At this joint briefing, the two leaders addressed several key topics, including tariffs, the extradition of the 26/11 Mumbai attack accused Tahawwur Rana, illegal immigration and the Russia-Ukraine war. Trump also announced that the US is paving the way to provide India with F-35 fighter jets as part of increasing military supplies by "billions of dollars". During his two-day visit to the US, PM Modi also met US intel chief Tulsi Gabbard, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and tech billionaire Elon Musk. PM Modi is the fourth global leader to meet Trump at the White House since his inauguration on January 20.
Amidst this, a short video of Trump and Modi's joint press conference is going viral with the caption “Trump openly insults Modi, yet he keeps laughing… This is why education truly matters." In the video, we can hear Trump saying: “That’s your question, but I’ll answer it. And yeah, I agree with you, gross incompetence”. After this statement, everyone in the press conference can be heard laughing, along with both the leaders. This video is in circulation with the claim that the comments made by Trump are about PM Modi and he is insulting him in the face. But unable to understand this, Modi is seen smiling at the joke.
Trump openly insults Modi, yet he keeps laughing…
— Arshad Hussain Razvi (@ArshadRazvi_) February 17, 2025
This is why education truly matters. 👇
pic.twitter.com/2irgkehQ8V
Trump openly insults Modi, yet he keeps laughing…
— Arshad Hussain Razvi (@ArshadRazvi_) February 17, 2025
This is why education truly matters. 👇
pic.twitter.com/2irgkehQ8V
कैसा आदमी है ये 🌝
— 𝑺𝒂𝒏𝒋𝒆𝒆𝒗 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒂 (@Sanjeev2026) February 17, 2025
खुद के बेइज्जती वाले मौके पे भी हंस रहा हैं 🤦 pic.twitter.com/J37g5y8HdP
कैसा आदमी है ये 🌝
— Baba MaChuvera 💫 Parody of Parody (@indian_armada) February 17, 2025
खुद के बेइज्जती वाले मौके पे भी हंस रहा हैं 🤦 pic.twitter.com/dXctXWmaep
Here is the archive link of the claim.
The claim is False. American President Trump did not comment about Indian Prime Minister Modi. Those comments were made about the previous government formed by Joe Biden.
When we searched for the visuals of the joint press conference, we found a video published by Hindustan Times with the title “Trump Mocks Biden At Press Briefing With PM Modi: Watch Why | India | USA | White House”. In the video, when a reporter asks PM Modi about India’s relationship with USA after Trump became the President. His question was “Are you excited about this upcoming partnership, I was curious how much more confident are you with President Trump leading this country that there will be peace through strength and you will have a successful partnership with the United States versus with Biden's incompetence and weakness over the last four years.”
Before the Indian PM could respond to this question, President Trump cut in and answered the question. He says “That's your question but I'll answer it”, “I agree with your gross incompetence. we're going to have a fantastic relationship”
Here is another video of the same joint press conference, where we can see that the question and answer were about the administration of previous government in the USA and not about PM Modi.
According to a Times of India report, during a joint press conference between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, an American journalist fired a pointed question at Modi, contrasting Trump’s leadership with what he called “Biden’s incompetence and weakness” over the last four years.
Before Modi could respond, Trump chuckled and took the question himself. “That’s your question, but I’ll answer it,” he said, agreeing with the journalist’s assessment and calling the previous administration’s handling of global affairs “gross incompetence.”
Trump claimed the world had suffered setbacks due to what he described as weak leadership from the US but assured that under his watch, the situation had already improved. “Even some of the media that we wouldn’t prefer has been writing that this is a much different country right now,” he said, adding that the world, including India, benefits from a strong and “good” America.
The US official website whitehouse.gov also shared the transcript of the conversation in the press conference. Here is the screenshot of the conversation which clearly shows that they were talking about the previous government's administration and not about the Indian PM.
Hence, the viral video does not show US President Donald Trump mocking Indian PM Modi and saying that he is incompetent. He was talking about Joe Biden’s administration in the USA. The claim is False.
(This story was originally published by telugupost.com, and republished by english.varthabharati.in as part of the Shakti Collective)
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Jaisalmer (PTI): Pushing for a "unified judicial policy", Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Saturday said technology can help align standards and practices across courts, creating a "seamless experience" for citizens, regardless of their location.
He said high courts -- due to the federal structure -- have had their own practices and technological capacities, and "regional barriers" can be broken down with technology to create a more unified judicial ecosystem.
Delivering the keynote address at the West Zone Regional Conference in Jaisalmer, Kant proposed the idea of a "national judicial ecosystem" and called for an overhaul of India's judicial system with the integration of technology.
"Today, as technology reduces geographical barriers and enables convergence, it invites us to think of justice not as regional systems operating in parallel, but as one national ecosystem with shared standards, seamless interfaces, and coordinated goals," he said.
He emphasised how the role of technology in the judiciary has evolved over time.
"Technology is no longer merely an administrative convenience. It has evolved into a constitutional instrument that strengthens equality before the law, expands access to justice, and enhances institutional efficiency," he said, highlighting how digital tools can bridge gaps in the judicial system.
Kant pointed out that technology enables the judiciary to overcome the limitations of physical distance and bureaucratic hurdles.
"It allows the judiciary to transcend physical barriers and bureaucratic rigidities to deliver outcomes that are timely, transparent and principled," he said, adding that the effective use of technology can modernise the delivery of justice and make it more accessible to citizens across the country.
The CJI called for implementing a "unified judicial policy".
He said India's judicial system has long been shaped by its federal structure, and different high courts have their own practices and technological capacities.
"India's vast diversity has led to different high courts evolving their own practices, administrative priorities and technological capacities. This variation, though natural in a federal democracy, has resulted in uneven experiences for litigants across the country," he said.
Kant underscored that predictability is crucial for building trust in the judicial system.
"A core expectation citizens place upon the courts is predictability," he said, adding that citizens should not only expect fair treatment but also consistency in how cases are handled across the country.
He pointed to the potential of technology in improving predictability.
"Technology enables us to track systemic delays and make problems visible rather than concealed," he said.
By identifying areas where delays occur, such as in bail matters or cases involving certain types of disputes, courts can take targeted action to address these issues and improve efficiency, Kant said.
The CJI explained that data-driven tools could identify the reasons behind delays or bottlenecks, allowing for faster, more focused solutions.
"Technology enables prioritisation by flagging sensitive case categories, monitoring pendency in real time and ensuring transparent listing protocols," he said.
Justice Surya Kant also discussed the importance of prioritising urgent cases where delays could result in significant harm. He highlighted his recent administrative order that ensures urgent cases, such as bail petitions or habeas corpus cases, are listed within two days of curing defects.
"Where delay causes deep harm, the system must respond with urgency," he stated, explaining that technology can help courts identify and expedite such cases.
Kant also raised the issue of the clarity of judicial decisions.
He noted that many litigants, despite winning cases, often struggle to understand the terms of their judgment due to complex legal language.
"Although the orders had gone in their favour, they remained unsure of what relief they had actually secured because the language was too technical, vague or evasive to understand," he said.
He advocated for more uniformity in how judgments are written.
"A unified judicial approach must therefore extend to how we communicate outcomes," he said.
The CJI also discussed the role of AI and digital tools in improving case management. He pointed to the potential of AI-based research assistants and digital case management systems to streamline judicial processes.
"Emerging technological tools are now capable of performing once-unthinkable functions. They can highlight missing precedent references, cluster similar legal questions, and simplify factual narration," he said, explaining how these technologies can help judges make more consistent decisions.
He also highlighted tools like the National Judicial Data Grid and e-courts, which are already helping to standardise processes like case filings and tracking.
Kant reiterated that the integration of technology into the judicial process is not just about improving efficiency but about upholding the integrity of the system and strengthening public trust.
"The measure of innovation is not the complexity of the software we deploy, but the simplicity with which a citizen understands the outcome of their case and believes that justice has been served," he said.
