Late Tuesday, US President Donald Trump called Prime Minister Narendra Modi to wish him on his birthday. It wasn’t just a routine courtesy. The conversation, Trump’s second outreach in recent days, suggested that Washington and New Delhi are moving past weeks of strain over trade disputes and India’s oil ties with Russia.
Trump, among the first world leaders to extend greetings, described the exchange as “wonderful” in a post on Truth Social. He praised Modi’s leadership and thanked him for supporting efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Modi, replying on X, expressed gratitude for the wishes, reaffirmed India’s backing for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine, and restated his commitment to strengthening the India-US partnership.
This was their first direct call since last month’s turbulence, when Trump doubled tariffs on Indian exports to 50 percent in response to India’s continued Russian energy imports, effectively stalling trade negotiations that had been close to a breakthrough.
The timing of the call was significant. Even as the leaders spoke, Indian and US officials were in New Delhi holding seven hours of face-to-face trade talks, their first since the tariff hike. The Ministry of Commerce described the discussions as “positive and forward-looking,” noting that both sides had agreed to accelerate work toward a mutually beneficial deal.
For Trump, this isn’t the first time he has emphasized his rapport with Modi. Earlier, on September 6, he called the India-US relationship “very special” and reassured that there was “nothing to worry about.” Modi quickly responded, saying he deeply valued the sentiment and fully shared the view.
Now, with Trump’s birthday call and renewed negotiations, both governments appear intent on resetting the tone. The message is clear: despite disagreements over Russia, trade, and energy, neither side wants to let the partnership drift.
