On the night before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 75th birthday, U.S. President Donald Trump called him. This was a sign of camaraderie between the two leaders. Both leaders posted the exchange on social media after trade discussions between the two countries started up again.
On X (previously Twitter), Prime Minister Modi thanked President Trump and talked about the trade talks that had started earlier in the day. He said, “Like you, I am also fully committed to taking the India-U.S. Comprehensive and Global Partnership to new heights.” He also said that India backs Trump’s “efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine.”
President Trump said the same thing on his Truth Social platform, saying, “I just had a great phone call with my friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi.” I told him to have a great birthday! He is doing a great job. Narendra: Thanks for your help in ending the War between Russia and Ukraine!
The cordial exchange comes after a time when things were tense between them. As part of its plan to hurt Russia’s economy during the Ukraine war, the U.S. has been putting pressure on India to stop buying Russian oil. The U.S. put a huge 50% tariff on Indian goods and services because of this problem. But it seems that Trump’s and Modi’s personal relationship has helped to ease the recent diplomatic tension, which included harsh words from U.S. officials like Peter Navarro and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
The two leaders’ restored friendship made it possible for the trade negotiations that took place in Delhi on Tuesday. Both sides said the talks went well, but there are still big problems that need to be solved. The U.S. is still pushing India to buy less oil from Russia, but India has said it won’t back down on safeguarding its farmers’ interests. This means that American farm and dairy products, like corn, won’t be able to move freely into India.
President Trump has also kept saying that he is responsible for lowering the risk of a war between India and Pakistan. He has said around thirty times that he “stopped a nuclear war” by using trade as pressure following India’s “Operation Sindoor” attacks on terrorist sites in Pakistan in May. India has always denied these assertions. Trump talked about “seven wars he ‘stopped'” just hours before his birthday call. This was part of his campaign for a Nobel Peace Prize.