US President Trump on Tuesday extended birthday greetings to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and praised his role in peace efforts related to Ukraine.
In a message posted on Truth Social, Trump said he had a “wonderful” call with Modi. He thanked the Indian leader for supporting attempts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, describing the efforts as “tremendous.”
However, the friendly tone came amid trade tensions between Washington and New Delhi. Last month, the US government raised tariffs on most Indian exports to 50 percent. The decision followed India’s continued imports of discounted Russian crude, which US officials argue indirectly supports Moscow’s war.
American officials also accused Indian refiners of making profits from these imports, adding to the strain on bilateral relations. Despite this, trade officials from both sides held talks in New Delhi on Tuesday. The US team was led by Brendan Lynch, Assistant Trade Representative for South and Central Asia.
According to India’s commerce ministry, the discussions were “positive and forward-looking.” Both countries agreed to push for an early conclusion of a trade agreement that could benefit both economies.
India has been negotiating a trade deal with the US for years, but progress has been slow. Exporters in India have expressed concern that higher duties are already leading to canceled orders and job losses in the manufacturing sector.
Analysts say Trump’s decision to link tariffs with geopolitics has complicated negotiations. Duties on Indian goods were doubled from 25 percent to 50 percent, with Washington citing oil imports from Russia as the main reason.
Experts believe that unless the US rolls back these additional tariffs, reaching a breakthrough on the trade deal will remain difficult.
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