India, US natural partners, both sides working to conclude trade deal: PM Modi in response to Trump's overtures

New Delhi, Sep 10 (PTI) India and the US are natural partners and teams from both sides are working to conclude negotiations on a bilateral trade deal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday in response to US President Donald Trump's remarks that efforts are on to address "trade barriers" between the two countries.

The exchange between the two leaders on social media is largely seen as part of efforts by both New Delhi and Washington to reset their ties that witnessed increasing stress in the last few weeks after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods.

The US president said he was looking forward to speaking to Modi in the "upcoming weeks" and sounded confident that both sides would be able to seal the proposed trade deal.

"India and the US are close friends and natural partners. I am confident that our trade negotiations will pave the way for unlocking the limitless potential of the India-US partnership," Modi said on X.

"Our teams are working to conclude these discussions at the earliest. I am also looking forward to speaking with President Trump. We will work together to secure a brighter, more prosperous future for both our people," he said.

In a post on Truth Social on Tuesday, Trump said he was pleased to announce that India and the US are continuing negotiations to address the trade barriers.

"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!" he said.

Trump also reposted Modi's comments on Truth Social.

In a related development following the exchanges between Modi and Trump, the Financial Times reported that the US president has asked the European Union (EU) to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on China and India for their procurement of Russian crude oil.

There is no official comment on the report by the Trump administration or the European side.

There have been indications that both sides have a series of diplomatic engagements in the next few days including a visit by a high-level US delegation to India to negotiate final contours of an order from the Indian Navy to procure an additional batch of P-8I long-range, multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft.

The latest Modi-Trump exchanges were their second in last four days.

On September 6, Modi "deeply" appreciated Trump's "positive assessment" of India-US partnership after the American leader hailed the "special" relationship between the two nations and said there is "nothing to worry about".

The relations between New Delhi and Washington are on a major downturn after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent including a 25 per cent additional duties for India's purchase of Russian crude oil. India described the US action as "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable".

In the last few days, several Trump administration officials including White House trade advisor Peter Navarro have used offensive language to target India.

India's big oil lobby has turned the largest democracy in the world into a "massive refining hub and oil money laundromat for the Kremlin", Navarro said recently.

On Tuesday also, Navarro targeted India in a series of social media posts.

"The US doesn't need unfair trade with India. But India desperately needs access to US markets and schools and intends to continue taking U.S. jobs," he said.

The Trump administration official also repeated his previous allegations that India is fueling Russia's war machinery.

"India fuels Russia's war chest. India is protectionist, with sky-high tariffs. The US runs a massive trade deficit with India," he said.

Navarro also claimed that "India's sky-high tariffs" are costing the US its jobs.

"India buys Russian oil purely to profit. Those revenues fuel Putin's war machine," he alleged.

Defending its purchase of Russian crude oil, India has been maintaining that its energy procurement is driven by national interest and market dynamics.

India turned to purchasing Russian oil sold at a discount after Western countries imposed sanctions on Moscow and shunned its supplies over its invasion of Ukraine in February, 2022.

Consequently, from a mere 1.7 per cent share in total oil imports in 2019-20, Russia's share increased to 35.1 per cent in 2024-25, and it is now the biggest oil supplier to India. PTI MPB ZMN