Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked US President Donald Trump for his phone call and birthday wishes as he turns 75 on Wednesday. Trump was among the first world leaders to greet Modi, even as trade negotiations between Washington and New Delhi remain underway.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), PM Modi said he deeply appreciated Trump’s warm wishes and reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening India’s partnership with the United States.
"Thank you, my friend, President Trump, for your phone call and warm greetings on my 75th birthday. Like you, I am also fully committed to taking the India-US Comprehensive and Global Partnership to new heights. We support your initiatives towards a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict," read the X post by PM Modi.
The exchange between PM Modi and Trump comes after the US President signalled a thaw in the bilateral chill between the two countries last week. On Wednesday, he said said he feels “certain” that there will be "no difficulty" for the two countries to come to a “successful conclusion” in trade talks and he looks forward to speaking with his "very good friend” Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the coming weeks.
Responding to the post, Prime Minister Modi in an X post expressed confidence that the ongoing negotiations will pave the way for unlocking the limitless potential of the partnership between them. India and the US are close friends and natural partners, Modi said, adding that both countries are working to conclude the trade discussions at the earliest.
Trump’s comments signal a significant thaw in bilateral relations as ties between the two countries reeled under possibly the worst phase in over two decades amid tensions over tariffs and Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil.
The US President has doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent, including a 25 per cent additional duty for India's purchase of Russian crude oil. India described the US action as "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable".
Trump’s pick for US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday that he hopes the tariff dispute with New Delhi will be resolved “in the next few weeks.” He said Washington and New Delhi are not "that far apart right now" on the trade deal, adding that the two countries are now discussing the "nitty-gritty" of the deal.
Meanwhile, chief negotiators of India and the US on Tuesday commenced talks on the proposed trade agreement to iron out issues in the wake of steep tariffs that have created uncertainties for exporters. Later in the day, the Indian Commerce and Industry Ministry said the “discussions were positive” and the two sides “decided to intensify efforts to achieve early conclusion of a mutually beneficial trade agreement”.
Brendan Lynch, the Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia, is leading the American team, while Rajesh Agrawal, Special Secretary in the Department of Commerce, is India's chief negotiator.
In February, the leaders of the two countries directed officials to negotiate a proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement ( BTA). It was planned to conclude the first tranche of the pact by the fall of 2025. So far, five rounds of negotiations have been held, and the talks for the sixth round, which were scheduled from August 25-29, were postponed following the imposition of the high import duties.
A senior commerce ministry official had said the meeting between Lynch and Indian officials should not be viewed as the 6th round of negotiations, but a precursor to it.
The official also said India and the US have been engaged in discussions through virtual mode on a weekly basis.
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