The White House said on Tuesday that President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi frequently hold conversations, underscoring the strong relationship between the United States and India.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the two leaders share mutual respect and remain in close touch as trade discussions between their countries continue.
“I know the President has great respect for Prime Minister Modi, and they speak pretty frequently,” Leavitt told reporters when asked about the current state of US-India relations.
She added that both sides remain engaged in “very serious discussions” on trade and economic cooperation, signalling that negotiations are progressing steadily. “The President and his trade team continue to be in very serious discussions with India with respect to that topic,” Leavitt said.
The spokesperson noted that Trump and Modi recently spoke during Diwali celebrations at the Oval Office, where the President was joined by senior Indian-American officials.
“The President is positive and feels very strongly about the India-US relationship,” Leavitt said, adding that Washington’s ambassador in New Delhi, Sergio Gor, is “doing a great job” in strengthening bilateral ties.
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President Trump said last week during his visit to South Korea that he hoped to finalise a new trade agreement with India soon.
His remarks suggested a possible thaw in bilateral relations, which had strained after Washington doubled tariffs on Indian imports to 50 per cent in response to New Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian oil.
The United States initially imposed a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods on July 30, followed by an additional 25 per cent a week later. The move was part of a broader effort to pressure India to reduce its reliance on Russian energy supplies amid Western sanctions on Moscow.
Following the latest US sanctions targeting Russia’s major crude exporters, Rosneft and Lukoil, Indian refiners have gradually scaled back their imports of Russian oil.
Officials from both nations have maintained that the dialogue remains constructive and that mutual interests in trade, defence, and energy cooperation continue to shape one of the world’s most significant bilateral relationships.
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