New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump on Thursday discussed ways to sustain momentum in the bilateral economic partnership in a phone conversation amid signs of the two sides inching closer to firm up a much-awaited trade deal.
The phone talks between the two leaders came on a day Indian and American negotiators concluded two-day talks on the proposed bilateral trade agreement that is expected to provide relief to India from Trump administration’s whopping 50% tariffs on Indian goods. In a social media post, Modi described the conversation as “warm and engaging”.
“We reviewed the progress in our bilateral relations and discussed regional and international developments. India and the US will continue to work together for global peace, stability and prosperity,” Modi said without making any reference to trade ties.
US Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer on Tuesday said without divulging details that the US has received “best” ever offers from India on the proposed trade agreement. Modi and Trump last spoke in October.
The relations between New Delhi and Washington witnessed a major downturn after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50% in August.
This included 25% additional duties for India’s purchase of Russian crude oil.
The strain in the relations has been exacerbated by constant criticism of New Delhi by officials in Trump’s administration.
There have been efforts by both sides in the last few weeks to repair the ties. Modi and Trump reviewed the steady progress in India-US bilateral relations and exchanged views on key regional and global developments, an Indian readout said. It said the two leaders reiterated that India and the United States will continue to work closely together to advance global peace, stability, and prosperity.
Officials familiar with the phone conversation said Modi and Trump reviewed progress in India-US comprehensive global strategic partnership and exchange views on expanding cooperation in trade, critical technologies, energy, defence and security.
Both leaders agreed to work closely to address shared challenges and advance common interests besides expressing satisfaction at the steady strengthening of bilateral cooperation across all domains, they said. They also underlined the importance of sustaining momentum in shared efforts to enhance bilateral trade, the officials said.
The leaders also exchanged views on expanding cooperation in critical technologies, energy, defence and security, and other priority areas that are central to the implementation of the India-US COMPACT (Catalyzing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce and Technology) for the 21st century, they added.
Modi and Trump also discussed various regional and global developments and agreed to work closely to address shared challenges and advance common interests.
