United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that India and the US will resume negotiations to address “trade barriers” between the two nations.
In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump said, “I am 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!”
The announcement comes weeks after the US imposed a 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods, along with a 25 per cent penalty on purchases of Russian oil.
Earlier this week, Trump, while addressing the media at the White House, described India-US ties as a “very special relationship” and reiterated his friendship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, he expressed dissatisfaction with “what he (PM Modi) is doing at this particular moment.”
When asked if he was ready to reset ties with India, Trump responded, “I always will. I’ll always be friends with (PM) Modi. He’s a great Prime Minister. I’ll always be friends, but I just don’t like what he is doing at this particular moment. But India and the United States have a very special relationship. There is nothing to worry about. We just have moments on occasion.”
The US President also dismissed concerns about “losing India and Russia to China,” stating that he does not believe such a shift has occurred.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi responded warmly to Trump’s remarks. In a post on X, he said he “deeply appreciates and fully reciprocates President Trump’s sentiments and positive assessment of our ties.” Modi further emphasized that India-US ties are “forward-looking” and focused on a “Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership.”
