Overview
- At the Oval Office celebration, President Trump said he spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi primarily about trade and extended Diwali greetings to Indians and Indian Americans.
- He again asserted that Modi agreed to sharply reduce purchases of Russian crude, a statement India has not confirmed after mixed signals from an MEA briefing and a later thank‑you post from Modi.
- The event included diya lighting and participation by Indian Ambassador Vinay Kwatra, senior U.S. officials and prominent Indian American business leaders.
- U.S. tariffs on Indian imports stand at roughly 50% this year, including an additional 25% tied to New Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil.
- Officials on both sides describe trade talks as making solid progress toward lowering punitive duties, while domestic reactions included online backlash to FBI Director Kash Patel’s Diwali greeting.