Just under two weeks after the U.S. president imposed tariffs on India for purchasing Russian oil, negotiations between the U.S. and India regarding the trade deal are set to continue.
On Tuesday, Trump took to Truth Social to express his regard for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, referring to him as “a very good friend” and mentioning that he would be speaking with him soon.
“I am happy to share that India and the United States are progressing in negotiations to tackle trade barriers between us. I am looking forward to catching up with my good friend, Prime Minister Modi, in the coming weeks,” he wrote.
His statement marks a noticeable shift from his tone just last week. Back then, India had proposed eliminating its tariffs on U.S. imports entirely, but noted, “It’s late. They should have acted much earlier.”
In the previous month, Trump had imposed a 25% tariff on Indian goods as a consequence of India’s oil purchases from Russia. India has justified its actions citing the necessity of meeting its energy demands for its vast population. Currently, India has raised its overall tariff rate to 50%, which compounds the existing 25% mutual tariff.
Some experts believe that Trump’s abrupt tariff decisions and his strained relations with Modi may have encouraged India to strengthen its ties with Russia and China. Recently, Modi met with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Later in the week, Trump made a statement on social media lamenting, “We lost India and Russia to the deepest and darkest China.” However, when asked if he truly felt he had “lost India,” he seemed to backtrack, responding, “I don’t think we have it.”
“I always maintain that friendship. I’ll always consider Modi a great prime minister. However, I’m not pleased with his actions at this moment,” Trump remarked, as reported late last week.
“Yet, the relationship between India and the U.S. is very special. There’s no need for concern. Sometimes, there are just moments,” Trump added.
In response, Modi expressed his gratitude on Saturday for Trump’s “feelings and favorable remarks about our relationship,” indicating his willingness to engage further.
