India-US trade talks: Trump shares update, says ‘look forward to speaking with very good friend’ PM Modi

United States President Donald Trump said on Tuesday (US local time) that India, and the US “are continuing negotiations to address the Trade Barriers between our two Nations.” Sharing an update on India-US trade talks, Trump posted on Truth Social, “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!,” Trump added. Trump’s announcement on Tuesday came weeks after the US imposed a 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods, including an additional 25 per cent penalty on purchases of Russian oil.

Earlier this week, President Trump, while making an announcement in the White House, called the India-US ties a “very special relationship” and affirmed that he and PM Modi would always be friends, asserting that there is “nothing to worry about”.

However, he expressed displeasure over what “he [PM Modi] is doing” in contemporary times.

When asked by news agency ANI, “Are you ready to reset relations with India at this point?”, US President Trump said, “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,” Trump had said.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also responded warmly to Trump’s affirmation of the India-US ties. He said he “deeply appreciates and fully reciprocates” Trump’s sentiments and positive assessment of the bilateral relations.

In a post on X, PM Modi noted India-US ties as “forward-looking” towards a “Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership”.

“Deeply appreciate and fully reciprocate President Trump’s sentiments and positive assessment of our ties. India and the US have a very positive and forward-looking Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership,” PM Modi stated in his post.

Trump floats massive tariffs on China

Meanwhile, According to Bloomberg, Trump said he’s prepared to join the European Union to impose sweeping new tariffs on India and China as he looks to ratchet up pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to join ceasefire talks with Ukraine.