Overview
- Asked if he would travel to India next year, President Trump replied, “It could be, yes,” after praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- Trump called Modi “a great man” and “a friend” and said their discussions on trade are “going great.”
- Since March, the two sides have completed five rounds of talks, including a virtual session on October 23, aiming to conclude the first phase in the fall of 2025.
- Coverage reports U.S. tariffs totaling about 50% on Indian shipments linked to purchases of Russian crude, a key friction point in the talks.
- India’s Ministry of External Affairs says energy sourcing decisions are guided by national interest and consumer welfare, as negotiators pursue a framework targeting roughly $500 billion in trade by 2030.