President Donald Trump met Thursday with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has heaped praise on him in hopes of avoiding the additional tariffs that the new administration has slapped on other countries in its opening weeks.Trump welcomed Modi to the Oval Office on Thursday afternoon, calling him a “great friend,” hours after the U.S. president signed increases on tariffs to match the tax rates that other countries charge on imports — which affects American trading partners around the world, including India.“We have great friendship, he and I and our countries, and I think it’s only going to get closer,” Trump said.Modi is a nationalist and spent his time before arriving in Washington talking up his warm relationship with Trump during his first term while cheering his winning back the White House. The Indian leader was looking to improve relations with Washington and the West overall, which have been frosty …