WASHINGTON — The White House on Tuesday confirmed that US President Donald Trump maintains regular communication with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with trade discussions between both sides continuing at a serious pace.
“The president and his trade team continue to be in very serious discussions with India,” White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters. “I know the president has great respect for Prime Minister Modi, and they speak pretty frequently,” she added.
Trump, speaking earlier in South Korea, said he hoped to reach a trade deal with India, signaling a thaw in relations that had recently reached a low point after Washington doubled tariffs on Indian imports to 50 percent in response to India’s purchases of Russian oil.
Read More: 10-Year defense deal deepens US–India partnership
Following US sanctions on Russian oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil last week, Indian refiners reduced their imports of Russian crude. Trump also claimed that Modi had agreed to cut Russian oil imports — a statement New Delhi has not officially confirmed. While a White House official stated that India had halved its Russian oil purchases, Indian sources maintained that no immediate reduction had taken place.
Meanwhile, both countries have strengthened their defence cooperation. On October 31, the US and India signed a 10-year defence framework agreement. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth described the pact as a “cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence,” emphasizing enhanced coordination, information sharing, and technology collaboration.
Read More: US ties India trade deal to Russian oil cuts; Delhi pushes back
Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in Malaysia, where the two discussed bilateral relations along with broader regional and global issues, reaffirming the strategic partnership between Washington and New Delhi.