India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he spoke with United States President Donald Trump by phone on Thursday, as New Delhi pushes for relief from Washington’s fifty percent tariffs on a range of Indian exports. Modi described the exchange as “warm and engaging” and said both leaders reviewed bilateral ties and broader regional developments.
The call comes at a sensitive moment for India–US trade relations, which have struggled since negotiations collapsed in late July. Washington imposed the tariffs after India declined to open its market to certain American farm products and refused to acknowledge Trump’s involvement in mediating during a flare-up with Pakistan.
India has been lobbying for the duties to be rolled back, arguing that the measures have added pressure to sectors already affected by global shifts in energy and supply chains. According to government figures, India’s exports to the US fell nearly nine percent year-on-year in October to 6.31 billion dollars, though the value remained higher than in September.
The renewed outreach also comes as Indian refiners reduce Russian oil purchases. According to Reuters, shipments have dipped amid fresh American sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil aimed at tightening pressure on Moscow over the war in Ukraine.
US Deputy Trade Representative Rick Switzer is currently in New Delhi for talks focused on tariff issues, market access and the impact of India’s continued buying of Russian fuel. Washington has urged India to lower trade barriers on American goods and open its market to farm products such as soybean and sorghum.
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The United States has intensified its push on India to distance itself from Moscow, but Russian President Vladimir Putin struck a different tone during his state visit to New Delhi last week. He promised uninterrupted fuel supplies and criticised Western pressure on India’s energy choices.
The competing messages leave India balancing two major partners while trying to shield its economy from rising trade friction.
