Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked US President Donald Trump for his warm wishes on his 75th birthday, using the occasion to reaffirm India’s commitment to strengthening the India–US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. Modi also publicly backed Washington’s diplomatic push for a peaceful end to the Ukraine conflict.

On social media, Modi highlighted shared resolve in advancing bilateral ties in trade, defence, energy, and technology while supporting US efforts at conflict resolution. Trump, in turn, wrote on Truth Social that he had a “wonderful call” with Modi, lauding the Indian leader’s performance and expressing gratitude for India’s support on Ukraine diplomacy.

The personal exchange comes against the backdrop of escalating trade tensions. The US recently imposed steep tariffs on Indian exports, including a 50 per cent duty across most imports and a punitive 25 per cent duty on India’s Russian oil purchases — among the harshest levied on any country.

Added pressure came from Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who warned that New Delhi could face reduced access to the American market unless it agreed to purchase US-grown corn.

Amid these frictions, negotiators from both sides resumed trade talks this week for the first time since the tariff escalation. Washington termed the discussions “positive,” with officials noting progress toward narrowing differences. This marks a deliberate move by both capitals to stem deterioration in ties and revive prospects for a long-discussed trade deal.

Trump, who acknowledged “trade barriers” in remarks last week, sounded upbeat about resolving differences and said he looked forward to further dialogue with Modi. US optimism has been matched by Modi’s warm response, opening space for compromise.

The Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership agreed by the two leaders in February remains the governing framework, with both sides setting a goal of more than doubling bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. Against that long-term target, the current thaw coupled with leadership-level engagement signals intent to steady relations in spite of tariff disputes.

Based On NDTV Report