US President Donald Trump with Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Credit: Reuters Photo
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, September 10, said that India and the US are “close friends and natural partners”. The Indian PM was responding to US President Donald Trump’s conciliatory message announcing that both the countries are continuing talks with regard to trade barriers.
“I am confident that our trade negotiations will pave the way for unlocking the limitless potential of the India-US partnership. Our teams are working to conclude these discussions at the earliest. I am also looking forward to speaking with President Trump. We will work together to secure a brighter, more prosperous future for both our people,” said PM Modi.
On Tuesday, Trump had said that he was "pleased to announce that India, and the United States of America, are continuing negotiations to address the Trade Barriers between our two Nations."
"I look forward to speaking with my very good friend, Prime Minister Modi, in the upcoming weeks. I feel certain that there will be no difficulty in coming to a successful conclusion for both of our Great Countries!” he said.
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.
Trump 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 had described this action of the US as "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable".
After months of critical rhetoric against India, Trump had last week said that India and the US have a “special relationship” and there's nothing to worry about as the two countries "just have moments on occasion”.
"I always will. I'll always be friends with Modi, he’s a great Prime Minister. He's great. I'll always be friends, but I just don't like what he's doing at this particular moment," Trump had said in the Oval Office Friday.
"But India and the United States have a special relationship. There's nothing to worry about. We just have moments on occasion," Trump said, with a smile.
Responding to the comments, Modi on Saturday said that he deeply appreciates Trump's positive assessment of India-US relations.
“Deeply appreciate and fully reciprocate President Trump's sentiments and positive assessment of our ties," Modi said.
"India and the US have a very positive and forward-looking Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership," he said.
Trump had also said that he is “very disappointed" that India would be buying so much oil from Russia.
“...I've been very disappointed that India would be buying so much oil… from Russia, and I let them know that. We put a very big tariff on India, 50 per cent tariff, very high tariff. I get along very well with Modi, he's great. He was here a couple of months ago,” he said in response to a question on his social media post that the US has lost India and Russia to China.
Defending its purchase of Russian crude oil, India has been maintaining that its energy procurement is driven by national interest and market dynamics.
India turned to purchasing Russian oil sold at a discount after Western countries imposed sanctions on Moscow and shunned its supplies over its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
In the Truth Social post, Trump had said that “Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!”
Trump had also posted an old photo of Prime Minister Modi with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
The post came days after the bonhomie among Modi, Xi and Putin at a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the Chinese city of Tianjin drew global attention.