NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday he had held a conversation with Donald Trump, with the US president saying the pair had discussed trade as the countries negotiate a deal that could mend strained ties.
Relations plummeted in August when Trump raised tariffs on Indian exports to the United States to 50 percent and US officials accused India of financing Russia’s war in Ukraine by buying Moscow’s discounted oil.
During a ceremony to mark Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, on Tuesday, Trump told reporters he had spoken by phone with Modi.
“We talked about trade — we talked about a lot of things, but mostly the world of trade,” Trump said while lighting candles for the celebration at the White House. “He’s very interested in that.”
Modi thanked Trump for the call, saying on X that he hoped “our two great democracies continue to illuminate the world with hope.”
