President Donald Trump of the United States has declared that trade barrier talks between the US and India are back on track and expressed optimism that there will be “no difficulty” in coming to a mutually beneficial agreement.
Trump said he “looks forward to speaking with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the coming weeks” in a post on his social media platform Truth Social, calling Modi a “very good friend.” This news comes after trade tensions escalated, with the US recently imposing a 50% tariff on Indian imports, which includes a 25% penalty on Indian purchases of Russian oil.
Despite some disapproval of India’s conduct at the time, Trump reassured that his personal friendship with Modi is still strong and underlined the “very special relationship” between the US and India.
Warmly responding, Modi called the two countries “close friends and natural partners” with a “forward-looking” and all-encompassing strategic cooperation.
Modi emphasized that teams from both nations are trying to quickly wrap up talks for a better and more prosperous future for their respective peoples, and he expressed optimism that current trade negotiations would unlock the India-US partnership’s boundless potential.
Soon, trade delegations are anticipated to exchange places, with one delegation from India traveling to Washington to discuss trade restrictions and US concerns. In the midst of these larger discussions, the US is simultaneously working to complete agreements on defense acquisitions with India.
Both leaders’ encouraging comments follow months of tense relations, which were highlighted by Trump’s prior concerns about India’s ties with China and disputes over tariffs and Russian oil imports. His recent tone, however, has shifted in favor of optimism over the resolution of trade disputes and the strengthening of bilateral cooperation.
In spite of recent trade disputes and tariff increases, the US and India have reaffirmed their commitment to communication with the hope of removing significant obstacles, supported by close personal ties between their leaders and strategic objectives coming together in a context of international cooperation.
