Overview
- Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president has great respect for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and that the two leaders speak frequently.
- Leavitt said the president and his trade team are in very serious discussions with New Delhi on trade and economic cooperation.
- The White House pointed to Trump’s Diwali outreach from the Oval Office and praised Ambassador Sergio Gor as signals of engagement.
- Relations had deteriorated after Washington doubled tariffs on Indian imports to 50 percent in response to New Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil.
- Trump has claimed India reduced Russian oil purchases, while India’s foreign ministry says energy sourcing is driven by national interest; separate reporting notes Indian refiners curtailed buys after new U.S. sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil.