President Trump dialed Narendra Modi, the prime minister of India, on the eve of his 75th birthday to wish him well, signaling a possible rapprochement after months of tensions about tariffs and about credit for mediating a cease-fire between India and Pakistan threatened to derail their carefully nurtured partnership.
“Just had a wonderful phone call with my friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social. “I wished him a very Happy Birthday! He is doing a tremendous job.”
The call came during a visit by U.S. trade officials to New Delhi to discuss a possible trade deal with officials from India’s Commerce Ministry. It was the first since June 17, when Mr. Modi told Mr. Trump that India had directly negotiated a cease-fire with Pakistan after a brief conflict in May — despite the U.S. president’s insistence that it was his doing.
Mr. Modi, who celebrated his birthday on Wednesday, posted a similarly warm message on social media thanking Mr. Trump for his call and birthday wishes. “Like you, I am also fully committed to taking the India-U.S. Comprehensive and Global Partnership to new heights.”
Trade talks and tariff negotiations have continued since the spring but became enmeshed in geopolitics when Mr. Trump and senior U.S. officials began accusing India of financing Russia’s war on Ukraine by purchasing large quantities of its oil. Late last month, Mr. Trump punished India for continuing to buy Russian oil by doubling total tariffs to 50 percent on all U.S. imports of Indian goods.
Last week, the two leaders had restored some of the bonhomie that had characterized their relationship, raising hopes that they were no longer deadlocked on trade.
Last week, Mr. Trump posted that he was looking forward to speaking with his “very good friend” Mr. Modi. He said trade negotiations would continue and expressed certainty that the two countries would successfully close a deal.
This week, the two leaders affirmed via social media that India supported U.S. efforts to end Russia’s war with Ukraine.
India and the United States have struggled to arrive at a bilateral trade agreement, partly because the South Asian giant has been unwilling to make concessions or open up certain markets..
On Wednesday, the Indian government said in a news release that discussions on a bilateral trade agreement were “positive” and that both sides had decided to “intensify efforts” to reach a deal quickly.
Anupreeta Das covers India and South Asia for The Times. She is based in New Delhi.
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