The late-night birthday call from US President Donald Trump to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Modi's 75th birthday was widely interpreted as a strategic attempt to reset and thaw bilateral relations.

The call came after months of strain caused by trade disputes, Trump’s displeasure over India's purchase of Russian oil amidst sanctions, and diplomatic friction following Trump’s questionable claims about India-Pakistan ceasefire mediation. Modi responded warmly but carefully, referring to Trump as "President" rather than "friend," while Trump addressed Modi by his first name for the first time publicly, signalling a blend of personal outreach and political outreach.

The timing of social media posts after the call was telling: Modi posted about the call 37 minutes before Trump, breaking Trump’s usual first-mover advantage in their public exchanges. This upset Trump’s usual narrative control and underscored Modi’s political acumen in managing public messaging.

On the Ukraine issue, Modi reaffirmed support for Trump’s declared aim to end the war, a topic fraught given India’s purchase of discounted Russian oil, something the US had strongly criticized and penalized with increased tariffs. Modi’s mention seemed to placate Trump without committing India to change its energy procurement stance.

Importantly, the call coincided with a renewed positive phase in India-US trade talks. After pauses and tariffs (including a punitive 50% tariff on Indian exports), both sides resumed talks aiming to secure a bilateral trade agreement by late 2025.

India continues to protect sensitive sectors like agriculture and dairy, key to its political landscape, while Washington pushes for greater market access.

The background to this call includes a tense June 17 phone call where Modi firmly denied Trump’s asserted role in brokering the India-Pakistan ceasefire, clarifying India-Pakistan matters were bilateral and not mediated by the US.

That call led to a period of communication silence, during which Modi strengthened ties with China and Russia, causing concern in Washington and likely prompting Trump’s conciliatory September outreach.

Trump's midnight birthday call was a symbolic but significant move signalling a willingness to reset ties amid friction over trade, Russia oil purchases, and geopolitical alignments. Modi’s calibrated responses and public messaging show cautious engagement without sacrificing Indian core interests, while trade negotiations progress amid mutual concessions but persistent underlying tensions.

Based On NDTV Report